Bleeding Hearts
by String of Pearly
Summary: Love... isn't so easy to come by, is it? Well, they DO say that you can find it in unexpected places... / Set in Sunset. Complete!
1. Chapter 1: Pathetically in Love

Yep, I started another story when I should be focusing on the others (Well, it's not like anyone read those anyway). So yeah! This story's called Bleeding Hearts, and I hope you enjoy!

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Chapter 1

_Pathetically in Love_

Love? What _is_ love? I never think about it. Or... _thought_ about it. No, it wasn't until after I had been granted with that mission from my leader that I began to realize the deeper values that life often hides.

The night was dark; not even the silver moon in the heavens above could cast enough light down upon the forest to be able to see clearly, as it usually does. Because the dark clouds were rolling in that night, quickly devouring the very stars of Silverpelt. It was clear that rain would soon fall.

The breeze was somewhat strong, flying through the trees, over the grassy plains, rousing a few leaves in its wake. It was a _quiet_ night. A normal night. Nothing out of the ordinary.

I blinked my amber eyes as I sat on the leafy forest floor, looking up at the darkening sky. I could see the dark tops of trees shadowed against the heavens as I sat in the clearing, sighing with content. The silhouette of a lone owl flew past, outlined against the dim sable sky, calling it to its seemingly invisible comrades. A fluffy white feather slowly drifted to the ground, stirred by the zephyr. It just so happened to land on my face, and I gave a sneeze, sending it flying to the ground.

"Hey, Nightfall!" came a voice from behind me. I gave my black fur a few licks and then turned, seeing the tall figure of a white cat, though his pelt appeared darker due to the darkness surrounding us. His front left paw was black, and his amber eyes were dancing with character. His long tail was stuck right in the air as he trotted over to me. He was my brother.

"Hey, Mourn," I meowed, smiling. "What's up?" He sat down across from me and gave a shrug.

"Not much. I was just bored and wanted someone to talk to." He grinned crookedly.

"Well, you've come to the wrong place," I replied. "There's nothing interesting going on _here_."

Mourn and I were born into a band of rogues. We all lived in a shadowy forest by no rules. It wasn't very organized, though we did have one cat who took the most control compared to the others. The cats eventually saw him as a leader... We were becoming more like a Clan then we realized.

And yes, we did know about the other Clans. ThunderClan, ShadowClan, WindClan and... What was the last one? Oh, RiverClan. We knew about them. And we hated them. You see, our band had originally dwelled around the lake in which they live today. Those lands were our home. And then one day, my friend Sapphire... She saw these cats in the distance. Some of us wanted to fight... but there were much too many. We were forced to run; I don't know if they even saw us, the idiots.

So we came here. Perhaps a bit more than two miles away from where we once roamed. We lived in this sullen forest and survived on the less amounts of prey that we managed to find. I was perhaps two moons old at the time, so I can hardly remember. But my vengeful leader has told the tale many times over.

Mourn sighed as he looked up at the sky. His eyes were clouded, and he seemed lost in his own little world. I could tell what he was thinking about.

"So... how's it going with Badger?" I asked him. Mourn had always liked the she-cat, and despite her name, she was quite beautiful and sleek, with a pelt of white and black patches.

My brother shrugged his heavy shoulders. "I don't know," he sighed, looking at their paws and pretending they were intriguing. "I don't think she likes me. I think she's in love with Kano." I narrowed my eyes and glanced over my shoulder. There he was, the tall, handsome tom, his long silver fur seeming to dazzle. He held his head high, an almost smirk on his face as he proudly glanced around. Probably looking for someone to admire his beauty, the show off, as he sat upon a boulder.

I looked back at Mourn. "...I hope not," I mumbled. "He's so annoying. I'm telling you, he's obsessed with his beauty. If Badger had half the brain of a mouse, she wouldn't love him." The white tom shrugged halfheartedly.

"I don't know about that, Nightfall. Tika and Scarlet are crazy about him."

I rolled my eyes. "But Tika and Scarlet are idiots." Well, it was true.

Mourn gave a weak laugh. "Nightfall, you're so mean."

I grinned. "Thank you! You're so kind, I..." I broke off and pricked my ears, turning my head to the right. Badger emerged from the trees, barely visible in this weather, but I could tell it was her. She was carrying a rabbit in her jaws as she trotted into the clearing.

I gave my brother a nudge. "Go talk to her. Now's your chance!" Mourn flattened his ears slightly, kneading the ground with nervousness.

"But what do I say?" he whispered, his eyes glued to the pretty she-cat.

"Take it slow," I breathe back. "Ask her how she's doing. Get a conversation going. Maybe ask her if she'd like to take a walk with you?" Mourn gave a weak nod, the tip of his tail flicking back in forth in an anxious, unsteady motion. He swallowed and nodded again, seemingly more confident.

"Alright," he meowed. He flashed a smile at me. "Wish me luck." I watched quietly as he got to his paws, trotting over to Badger.

And I thought... _He's doomed._

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Short chapter, I know, but it's just an introductory, right? :D I'll try to make the next one longer!

Please review! (CC also appreciated!)


	2. Chapter 2: To Flee Once Again

Okay! Thanks for reading, Angelfang, hopefully I'll get a few more people to read this...

Here's chapter 2! Enjoy!

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Chapter 2

_To Flee Once Again_

Finally, thunder rumbled a few miles away, and the sky was illuminated with a flash of lightning. For that split second, the whole clearing and everyone in it, and each unique shape of the leaves and trees, were visible. And as if on cue, rain started to gently fall from the clouding sky. I raised my head, and then let out a growl of annoyance when a drop fell into my eye. I hate that.

Shaking my head and blinking, I scanned the clearing and spotted Mourn and Badger talking. I was surprised he hadn't yet come back with a scratch down his face... He actually seemed to be doing pretty well, for my brother, anyway. I watched as they talked and laughed, and... I felt some emotion tugging at me. I tried to ignore it, but it wouldn't go away. Was it jealousy? Of course, I wasn't jealous of _Mourn,_ whose interest lay in she-cats, while mine was in toms. Though it'd be nice to be able to flirt once in a while, or really have someone to love.

I'd never been in love, and at that time, I doubted anyone loved me, either. I wasn't very attractive, I'll admit. Sometimes I would tell myself I was to raise my self-esteem, but I really wasn't that pretty. My face was somewhat squashed in, and my legs were rather short. I had a large nick in my right ear from when I got into a fight with a fox a few moons earlier.

_Kano_ once told me I had beautiful amber eyes, though. And a gorgeous, sleek black pelt. He also said some other things that resulted in him getting a whack of my paw.

Sighing, I turned away from my brother and Badger and padded towards the edge of the clearing, sitting down beneath a large evergreen. The rain was falling harder, and a gentle pitter-patter was heard with each precious drop. The thunder was growing louder, and flashes of lightning were occurring more often. The storm was clearly coming closer to us.

And then I saw _him_ stroll over, Scarlet and Tika following him as if they were kits and he was their father. His silver coat shone brilliantly; he had just groomed it. _What's the point in making it look so nice when it's just going to get wet from the rain anyway?_ I thought.

"Hey, Nightfall," Kano meowed nonchalantly, sitting down beside me. I scooted away from him slightly.

"Hi, Kano," I muttered. I watched as the orange tabby Scarlet sat down beside the tom, along with her sister, the calico Tika.

"What's up, Nightfall?" chimed Scarlet, smiling widely. I watched in disgust as Tika wrapped her tail around Kano's. I wrinkled my nose slightly, but I don't think they noticed.

"Nothing," I murmured, raising my head and staring blankly across the clearing.

"So, Nighty," said Kano, grinning crookedly, "we're all going hunting. Care to join us?" _Why?_ I thought bitterly. _So you can just flirt with me and pretend you like me?_

"It'll be fun!" exclaimed Scarlet, rubbing her muzzle against Kano's cheek. Tika shot a glare at her sister.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you'll be missin' out if you don't," said Kano, smirking a bit. I narrowed my eyes, thinking about all the things he'd probably want to do with me.

I watched as the three cats got to their paws and turned, about to depart. I stood up, watching them.

"Wait," I called. "I'll... I'll come with you." _What the heck?_ I thought. _Why would you want to go hunting with _them? _Well... it's not like I'll have anything better to do. And if Kano screws up what he says to me, I'll get to scratch him right across the face._ I felt satisfied enough.

Kano looked back and smiled. "Good choice, Nighty!"

"Don't call me 'Nighty.'"

xNxIxGxHxTxFxAxLxLx

I grew a bit wary as we stalked through the dark, rainy forest. The thunder boomed even louder in my ears, and soon it was raining so hard that I had to shout out my words when I wanted to say something.

"Idiots," I muttered under my breath. "Who in the right mind would go hunting in this weather?" I tried to ignore the fact that _I_ was one of those idiots. Anyway, all the prey would be burrowing, trying to seek shelter. So far, only Tika was able to catch a blackbird.

"This is some storm!" exclaimed Kano, and for a moment I thought I could see a flash of unease in his blue eyes.

"Yeah!" shouted Scarlet, barely audible due to the heavy rain and thunder. I saw a bolt of lightning streak through the sky not too far away and my tail twitched with slight anxiety. My pelt was dripping wet at the time, drops of water falling from my whiskers, but I gave no mind.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning crashed down on a nearby tree, the sound of the thunder almost deafening. My eyes widened when I heard a creak, and I turned my head, seeing the large pine tree beginning to fall. We were right in its way.

"Move!" I yowled, leaping out of safety and nearly slipping and falling on the wet ground. The two she-cats yelped and followed me. Unfortunately... Kano hadn't heard. He looked at us with a blank expression and tilted his head, confused.

"What are you..."

"You idiot!" I cried, my voice muffled by the rain. "Get out of the..." The tree finally crashed down to the earth with a loud noise, the top of it falling upon smaller, weaker trees and causing them to break. Branches snapped off and went flying. I stood in horror as the scene was lit up again. Kano hadn't moved.

His idiocy caused his own death.

Then, orange fell upon black as a few small flames came up from the now-dead tree. Smoke began to rise, and my eyes widened.

"Fire!" I yowled, stepping back clumsily as the fire grew higher, beginning to devour the trees, and the very earth that we stood on.

"Kano!" Scarlet and Tika wailed in unison as they began to run up to the blazing, fallen tree.

"Stop!" I snarled. "Do you _want_ to get killed!? Come on, we have to get back to camp!" The sisters exchanged glances, and then nodded.

The three of us raced through the forest, our eyes wide. My heart was beating against my chest as I leaped past the trees and over obstacles such as rocks and logs. The fire that had been behind us was spreading quickly, and not even the heavens' rain could stop it.

We soon burst into the clearing. I stood there, panting, and saw as a few cats raised their heads and glanced over at us. I watched as our leader, Dire, calmly walked over to us. He was a dark brown tabby tom, black stripes searing through his pelt. His amber eyes were hard as they fell upon us.

"What's going on?" he demanded, looking back and forth from me, to Scarlet, to Tika, and then back to me again.

"Dire," I breathed, "the forest... It's on fire! And it's spreading!" The tom's eyes widened.

"_What?"_ he hissed and glanced around quickly. "Is everyone in camp!?"

My exclamation had attracted the others, and they all came running, their expressions full of alarm.

"What?" wailed a pregnant she-cat. "What are we going to do?" I spotted Mourn and Badger among the crowd, the she-cat pressing against my brother in fear.

"Where's Kano?" demanded Dire, raising his voice. I sighed.

"Dire, he... Kano was hit by a falling tree. He's dead." A few shocked gasps came from among the cats. Scarlet and Tika whimpered pathetically.

"And this is the tree that caused the fire?" asked my leader, his eyes narrowing.

I nodded. "It was struck by lightning. We tried...-" My explanation was cut off when a cat exclaimed, "Look! The fire is reaching camp!" All eyes were averted to the opposite edge of the clearing, where flames blazed hungrily, spreading quickly. A few trees were falling, adding on to all the noise of the storm.

"We have to get out of here!" yelled my friend, Sapphire. "If we don't, the camp will be completely engulfed in fire!"

Dire nodded. "All cats, move out! Help carry the kits and support the old ones!" Smoke began to surround us, and I gave a rasping cough, my eyes stinging and watering. I began to feel the heat emitting from the inferno, and I stood there in a frozen horror as the flames spread out through the branches of the trees, killing them slowly.

The rogues began to flee, Dire taking the lead. I grabbed a small, black and white kitten by the scruff and began to follow, running through the forest after them while trying not to drop the kit. It let out a mewl of confusion.

I caught up with the rest of the group as we raced through the woods. I wasn't sure where we were going, but we had to get away from there.

Then, a yowl pierced the night. The pregnant cat who had spoken earlier fell to the ground. The others stopped and raced over to her in alarm.

"Lilac!" exclaimed Dire. "What is it!?" The tortoiseshell she-cat was breathing heavily, her eyes wide.

"The... the kits!" she cried. "They're coming _now!" _I stared at her, nearly dropping the kitten. Could there be a _worse_ time!?

"You'll have to wait!" meowed Dire as he raised his head. The flames were stretching out through the whole forest, and were now closing in on where we stood. "The fire's coming!"

"I _can't_ wait!" cried Lilac, her eyes filled with agony. The blaze swept towards us, only a few taillengths from where we stood. A few cats yowled in fear and began racing off instinctively.

"I'm sorry, Lilac," murmured Dire, bowing his head. "But we have to go or we'll be killed." The she-cat's eyes widened in disbelief.

"_What?"_ she spat. "You're going to leave me and my kits to _die?"_

"I'm sorry," he whispered. He raised his head to the few cats who hadn't ran. "Let's go." He darted off, the others racing after him. I glanced at Lilac one last time and sighed. Turning away from her, I chased after them, hearing the queen's wails of torment as the fire took four more lives away.

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I was feeling violent when I wrote this O _ e Poor Lilac, I feel kinda bad for killing her and her kits off. Not so much for Kano, though. xDD

Please review!


	3. Chapter 3: Perspective is Everything

Review Replies:

Hanahatsu: Haha xD Yeah, I didn't like him either. So I really didn't feel that bad for killing him off. xD

Pink Kitty Cat: Thanks, PKC! : ) Yeah, I felt bad for her, too... I feel really evil for killing her... xD Oh, well~

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Chapter 3

_Perspective is Everything_

The storm was beginning to pass. The rain fell more gently, and while the thunder still growled frequently, it was quieter and further away.

I panted, my heart drumming wildly. We were standing in a field by the edge of the forest. The green, wet grass beneath my paws felt much different than the leafy forest floor I was used to. I scanned the area; the meadow was vast and bare, disregarding a few random boulders jutting from the earth. In a few places, patches of small purple and white flowers bloomed. I squinted my eyes, trying to detect how far the meadow stretched on, but the continuing rain and fog made it hard to tell.

I placed the black and white kitten on the ground, almost forgetting I had it until it let out a small mewl. I watched as it clambered over to its mother, who licked it fiercely.

"Nightfall!" I heard a voice. I turned to see Mourn, Badger standing beside him. His amber eyes were round with relief. "Thank goodness you're okay," he murmured. "I'm glad it wasn't _you_ that was hit by that tree." I smiled slightly.

"I'm fine," I assured him. My eyes were averted back to the forest; I could see gray smoke rise to the sky. I felt a pang, realizing this was the _second_ time we were forced to move from our home.

"Dire," I heard Sapphire say, "where are we going to go?" I pricked my ears and turned to him, curious myself.

The dark brown tabby tom sighed. "I don't know, Sapphire. We may have to spend the night sleeping here." I could see, out of the corner of my eye, Mourn flattening his ears. He never really liked the rain.

I shook my pelt, sending rain splattering onto the ground. I knew it was pointless, though, for it would keep falling until the storm had completely passed. I walked over to Mourn and Badger, who stood together quietly. The she-cat's eyes were large with fear, and my brother had his tail resting on her back in comfort.

"Man," he murmured, shaking his head slightly in disbelief. "I can't believe it. It all happened so fast..."

I sighed and nodded, sitting down beside them. "I know. It's... it's crazy, having to leave our home _again. _No cat should have to go through this."

"I miss the lake," whispered Badger quietly, closing her blue eyes. I raised my head to her. She was a few moons older than me, so she probably could remember it more clearly.

"Me, too," sighed Mourn, his gaze sorrowful as he stared blankly across the meadow. "I miss wading in the water... and Schala teaching me how to hunt in the forests." Schala was our mother. She was one of the kindest cats I have had the opportunity to know, though I have but a few memories of her. I was very young when she died. I didn't quite understand at the time, but Mourn, who was several moons older than me (being from a different litter) tried to explain. She had died suddenly from a strange illness that no one had the time, or knowledge, to treat. I never knew who my father was; I had come to the conclusion that he had either died before I was born, or was a loner outside our band and left shortly after Schala became pregnant. No one ever told me.

"I miss chasing butterflies in the fields," said Badger, lowing her head. Her voice was weak, and I could detect the sudden sadness coming from her. "I... I miss everything." I looked at the two cats. I really didn't have much to say, since I was so young when we lived there. But I do remember lying in the sun in the hollow we made our main camp. It was a stone hollow, and brambles lined it. It was a place that made me feel... safe.

But that was gone now.

I raised my head and glanced behind me at the forest again. I could no longer clearly see the flames; they were finally dying.

Looking around, I saw a few cats laying down, trying to get some rest. I spotted Dire, sitting with his tail wrapped around his paws. He looked exasperated.

"I'm going to get some sleep," I mumbled Mourn and Badger. Without waiting for a reply, I staggered away from them, padding over to a gray, somewhat large rock. I collapsed beside it, turning away from the other cats. The rain pelleted against my black fur; I tried to ignore it. My thoughts were whirling, but the sound of the gentle rain soon made me grow tired. I was soon pulled into a lulling sleep.

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I woke with a jerk and I leaped to my paws, glancing around. Something in my dream had startled me into wake, though no matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn't recall just what it had been.

Shaking my head, I glanced around my surroundings. The rain had passed, leaving the field coated in a thick layer of rainwater, mixed with the morning's dew. Gray clouds were scattered across the sky, the sun almost hidden. The air seemed thick and muggy, and fog rested on the meadow. It was a quiet morning, and I watched as a flock of birds soared over the moor, surrounded by the gray mist and almost impossible to see.

The other cats were gathered in a small group, some of them still sleeping, some of them chatting quietly amongst themselves. I stretched my sore limbs and padded through the wet grass, sitting silently next to Sapphire. A beautiful cat, she was-- she had a pelt of light gray, almost blue, and a few small, darker gray patches. She had a long, delicate tail and feathery whiskers. Her eyes were a brilliant shade of light blue that always sparkled with whatever she was feeling.

That was one of her few flaws. She could never hide her emotions, as I could. Yet, being as gorgeous as she was, many toms had fallen head over paws for her. The ironic thing is that many of them hadn't even gotten to know her, and had just judged her by her beauty. This may be why some toms had never bothered talking to _me,_ being quite the opposite as Sapphire, in terms of looks.

"Hi, Nightfall," she purred when I sat down. She smiled warmly at me, though I could see worry in her eyes with painful clarity. It was never hard to guess what was going on in her mind.

"Hey, Sapphire," I mewed, looking around. I said nothing, and only waited for her to spill out what she was thinking to me, as she would usually do.

"Nightfall, I'm really worried," she murmured. I sighed and nodded to her.

"I know."

She blinked. "How?"

I shook my head quickly. "Never mind. Are you worried what's going to happen to us?"

She gave a small nod. "Yes. We can't stay in this field forever. There is no cover, and there could be predators around here. And I've gotten so used to the forest..." She took a deep breath and exasperatedly let out it.

"Yeah," I murmured, blinking slowly. "But I'm sure we'll find another home. Just as nice as the last one."

"I hope so." Sapphire was almost twelve moons older than me, so I had assumed that this was harder for her. She could clearly remember having forced to leave twice, while I was too young to care the first time we left.

I opened my mouth to reply, but was cut off when I heard Dire's call.

"Everybody, gather here!" he ordered. I pricked my ears.

"Let's go," I meowed to Sapphire and trotted over to him. I was interested in what he had to say.

The cats around the area slowly gathered before him, and I spotted Mourn, still with Badger. It seemed as if the two had really clicked.

I sat down a few foxlengths away from them, Sapphire joining me. I raised my head, trying to see my leader, I being as short as I was. His brown tabby fur was neatly groomed and his eyes swept over the crowd.

"We cannot stay here," he said once everyone had quieted down. "It's dangerous, and we need the protection that we're used to." A few cats gave quiet murmurs in agreement. I flicked an ear.

"I have made up my mind," he said, his voice strong with determination. "We are taking back the land that was stolen from us. We're taking back the lake territory!" No one said anything for a few moments. Whatever they had expected to come out of his mouth, this was certainly not it.

"But how?" growled Sapphire's brother, Tin. "There are so many more of them! We'll all _die!"_ _Ironic,_ I thought, _he being one of the ones who originally wanted to battle them._

"I know," Dire replied, just a flicker of irritation in his voice. "We are not just going to barge in and assault them. We have a strategy." His eyes blazed as he looked at everyone. Even when he was level to us, he had the same affect as if he were towering over us on a boulder.

"If any of you remember, a loner passed by not too long ago. He told me that the cats who invaded are actually divided into four separate Clans." A few cats nodded in acknowledgment. I flicked my tail. I had remembered hearing about the loner, but I never knew he said anything about the invaders. He must have lived nearby.

"I am going to select three cats to journey to the closest Clan from our current location. Those cats will become a part of this Clan, and earn their trust." His eyes flickered. "This may take moons for our plan to unfold, but with patience, we shall take our reward." I nodded my head the slightest bit.

"Then," Dire continued, "those cats must secretly kill the leader. If there is a second-in-command, then he must be killed at the same time. It is up to those three cats to think up a strategy of how this goes. But the rest of the Clan cannot know that they did this. Now, here is where the rest of us come in..." He got to his paws, pacing back and forth as he kept his gaze firmly set on us. "Anyone other than the three selected shall travel and find shelter very nearby the territory, but not crossing the borders. We must be very careful that we do not leave our scent where the Clan cats may dwell.

"After the leader is dead, with the possibility of a second-in-command, if they have one, one of the three cats will quickly come to tell us. Then, all of us as a whole will strike them at night. They will be nothing without their leader. We must kill them all! Otherwise, one of them may go and console one of the other three Clans for help. Or, we can keep them as prisoners in their own camp and a selection of cats shall guard over them to make sure that they do not escape."

"What happens after that?" called out a white she-cat. "Are we only stopping with _one_ Clan?"

Dire turned to her and sat back down, wrapping his tail neatly around his paws. "No. Even if we kill off one, we would still not be able to fight off the other three. Once that Clan is defeated, we will travel to the nearest one during the same night and launch an attack, doing the same thing. If the two remaining Clans try to attack us a the same time, we will fight them off. Our band of rogues, I estimate, should be about the size of two Clans."

He raised his head, determination in his eyes. "We _will_ take back the land that was once ours!" And following this came cheers from all around, rising into one.

Everything all depends on perspective. Some cats may see us as "evil," for being so determined to wipe out the four Clans. But _they_ stole our home. _They_ are the thieves. Perspective... is everything.

"Now," called Dire, flicking his tail for silence. "I shall select the three cats who are to journey into a Clan's territory. Those cats shall be Ross, Mourn, and Nightfall." I pricked my ears and automatically stood up when I heard my name. I was chosen as one of the cats? I watched as my brother and Ross, a muscular black and white tom, also got to their paws. I dipped my head, saying nothing. It was always an honor to be chosen for a special mission by Dire. Not that we've ever _had_ many. Sometimes a group of cats was selected to rid the territory of a badger or fox, but this was by far much more important.

"We will all leave for the lake tonight," Dire said, "and we will find a place near the territories. Rest up and try to find prey while you can, we will be on the move the whole time. Dismissed." The cats began to break up, all going their separate ways. Some went to hunt while others lay down to share tongues.

I walked over to my brother, who was talking to Ross. Ross was... a mystery. He barely ever let his true feelings show, it seemed. He was gruff and could be very cold; he really wasn't one for many words.

"Nightfall!" greeted Mourn when he saw me. Ross just looked at me calmly, in almost a glare.

I smiled slightly. "Hey, Mourn. Can you believe we got chosen for this mission?"

The white tom shook his head quickly. "No. I never really thought that Dire liked me."

Badger padded up beside my brother and gave me a smile. "Hey, Nightfall! That's so cool that Dire gave you such an important job. I'm kinda jealous." She gave a small laugh.

I grinned at her. "Well, you'll be helping in the battle, which is just as important."

She shrugged and smiled. "I guess you're right. I just hope it all goes according to plan..." She had a distant look on her face, and there was no doubt that she was reminiscing back to when we owned the lake territory.

I pricked my ears and watched as Sapphire came to join us. Excitement glittered strongly in her eyes.

"This is it!" she exclaimed, kneading the ground. "Finally, we'll have a chance at getting our territory back! The one that those cats stole!"

"Still, I'm kind of worried," said Mourn, flattening his ears. "What if something goes wrong? What if, during the first attack, the other Clans come to help them?"

I looked at him. "I don't think all three of the other Clans would hear, though," I replied. "The lake is pretty big, from what I can remember." Of course, no one knew how exactly the Clans would be situated, but I'm pretty sure that everyone had just assumed that they would be around the lake.

Suddenly remembering that Ross was still standing there, I casted him a sideways glance. He caught it and stared at me, his blue eyes glistening. His expression was impossible to read; I had no idea what he was thinking.

Shrugging it off, I turned away from him and back to the others. "I'm going to go and hunt," I said. "I haven't eaten anything for a while."

"Alright," mewed Sapphire. "Bye, Nightfall!" After exchanging goodbyes with the rest of the group, I began to make my way through the foggy field, deep in thought as the wet grass was flattened beneath my paws.

This was definitely the biggest mission I had ever been granted. And one of the most _important_ missions of our band of rogues.

Our future would depend on it.

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Time for teh rogue kittehs to get their revenge! But will they succeed?

Review and you will get a Nightfall plushie! : 3


	4. Chapter 4: Final Departure

Review Replies:

Revriley: Thanks so much for reading! : ) And don't worry, Cloudtail and Longtail will be included. xD Thanks for the review, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story! : )

Hanahatsu: Thanks for reviewing! And here's your update! : )

Seven Seconds: Thanks, I'm glad I managed to show Nightfall's character. And I try to have good grammar! : )

I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

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Chapter 4

_Final Departure_

"Want some?" said a voice. I raised my head.

I was sitting in the field; everyone was grouped closely together, the head of each cat bent low as they murmured soft words to their companions. I could sense a feeling of both anxiety and excitement; any moment now, Dire would summon us, telling us that it was time to leave. And only the stars knew how long we'd actually be gone.

The sky, at long last, had finally cleared, all that was remaining being a few wispy clouds, drifting by slowly. The heavens were speckled brilliantly, the stars touching from the very top, to down below, almost to where the land met with the sky.

But not quite.

A warm, spring breeze surged by, ruffling my fur as I took in everything around me. As beautiful as this place was... it was still not as beautiful as the lake.

And there's another thing I remember. When I was very young, Schala took me out one full-mooned night to see the lake from up close. It was a starry night, just like this one, but with the absence of the wispy clouds. I can remember her helping me down the bank and to the very shore. She sat down beside me on the sandy beaches and we gazed out at the scenery around us. I had been in awe, and my amber eyes had grown wide. It was gorgeous.

"What's on the other side?" I had asked her, squinting my eyes.

"The plains," she had answered softly. "When you get a bit older, I'll take you there, and we can run through the meadows."

I believe I had asked her if there would be butterflies. Unfortunately, I can't remember her reply.

That night... was like a dream. I will never forget it.

Perhaps it _was_ just a dream. Or a fleeting memory that I have caught up with. I can't say.

"Earth to Nightfall," repeated the voice, jerking me out of my disarrayed thoughts. Mourn was standing in front of me, and my eyes were averted to a half-eaten rabbit that had mysteriously appeared at my paws.

"T-Thanks," I stammered, smiling a little. He looked at me, a surprised expression on his face. This is because I _never_ stammered. I could always keep my voice firm and steady, no matter what the situation was. But somehow I had let it happen just then.

Quickly shrugging it off, I bent down and took a big bite of the rabbit, and pushed it back towards him.

"So, how're things with Badger?" I asked him, throwing out a topic. He gulped down a piece of the prey before looking up at me.

"Good," he said, smiling sheepishly. I could tell he was embarrassed, but he continued. "I think she actually likes me! We've been talking a lot, and... I think we just..."

"Clicked?"

He nodded, giving a small laugh. "Yeah." I grinned back at him.

"I told you she doesn't like Kano!" I stiffened, realizing my mistake. He looked back at me.

"She doesn't _now,"_ he said quietly, "because he's..." He trailed off. He didn't need to finish, though; I knew what he was about to say. He shook his head. "But anyway, that doesn't mean she didn't before."

"Even if she did," I said, frowning, "I think it's pretty clear that she likes you now." He smiled slightly and flattened his ears, bashful.

"I hope you're right. But, Nightfall, I'm starting to think that Ross likes _you!"_ I almost gagged on the piece of rabbit that I had been chewing.

Ross?

Liking...

Me?

I began to laugh. "Mourn, what in the _world_ would make you think _that?_ No one's ever liked me. And Ross, he... he doesn't like _anyone."_

My brother raised an eyebrow, his amber eyes glittering. "I wouldn't be so sure, Nightfall. He was looking at you a lot earlier."

I rolled my eyes. "That doesn't mean anything. Sometimes, I start staring into space without realizing I'm actually looking right at someone. Maybe that's what happened."

Mourn shrugged his shoulders. "Well, time will tell."

Another thing that I forgot to mention is that Ross was Dire's brother. He was my leader's only living relative, or at least the only relative living with our band. I often see the two talking, but I never knew exactly _what_ they were talking _about._ Come to think of it, I only rarely saw Ross talking to someone _other_ than his brother.

"Attention!" boomed a voice, spreading quickly through the group. Ears pricked and heads were raised. Eyes were averted to Dire, who stood tall before us, his chest puffed out.

"We are leaving now. I expect that you are all well-prepared. If any of the older ones are in need, help them, and do so with the kits as well."

I involuntarily nodded my head, and then swept my gaze across the field. I watched silently as three cats made their way to the front of the crowd.

They were all old. The first one was a thin, white and ginger she-cat whose fur was matted and even missing in some places. Her limbs were long, but they appeared to be weak; she trembled with each step she took. Her tail was drooping, the tip of it flicking the slightest bit. I tried to catch a glimpse of her expression, but I failed. This was Lea.

The second cat was even older, a tom known as Fisher. His short black fur was at least well-kept compared to his preceder, but his face was covered in scars. No one quite knew how he had gotten them; I've heard many stories, some more probable than others. Some say that his father abused him as a kit. Some say he got into a fight with an outsider. Some say that a rabid animal did it. I don't know why he never told anyone, but I think that he liked to keep it a secret and listen to others' theories.

The last cat was smaller than the others, but still very elderly. This was Harmony, the brown tabby cat that never talked. And I mean that literally, because she was born mute. However, she was still one of the nicest cats I knew, and her expressions said it all. She followed behind Lea and Fisher, her head bent low.

I flicked an ear as my gaze following them. I blinked. _What are they doing?_

When they reached the front of the rabble, Lea raised her head and looked directly at Dire (who was clearly as confused as I was). I could finally see her expression-- and it was a mixture of pride and sorrow.

"Dire, we're staying here," she said, her voice cracking slightly. Her statement quieted down whatever murmurs were going on in the horde, and all eyes went to her. I caught Harmony casting a glance at everyone else, clearly uncomfortable. Fisher just stood there, saying nothing and looking at Dire.

"I was wondering if you would want to," sighed the leader, frowning. "And I respect your wishes. But are you sure we can't help you there?"

Fisher shook his head, speaking out. "We're all old, Dire," he said. His voice was always gentle, but somewhat high for a tom. "We'd just tire ourselves out. We're happy with spending the rest of our lives by the forest." I saw a few cats cast glances at the forest behind them. Now, it seemed so sullen and empty, and I wonder of the old ones thought so, too.

"Alright," murmured Dire, dipping his head. "You, Lea, and Harmony will stay here and rest peacefully by the forest."

Lea mirrored the gesture. I knew she was trying to be dignified, but it was clear that she and the others were all torn apart that we had to leave them.

Our leader turned back to the crowd. "Well, then," he said. "It's time for us to move on. Lea, Fisher, and Harmony... I grant you safe and happy lives."

"As do we to you," rasped Fisher. "And we wish you success in your quest to get the lake back."

Dire nodded respectfully before turning to us. "Let's go," he said as he began to lead the way through the starlit field. I got to my paws and ran up next to Sapphire, Tin, Badger, and Mourn as the whole group followed after him.

I glanced back behind my shoulder, seeing the three elders grouped together, watching silently as we left. And I remembered with sorrow that these weren't the first cats that we had left behind.

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Aaand they're off to take back the lake! But will it be as easy as they think?

Please review and you shall get a Mourn plushie! = )

Till next time,

Pearly


	5. Chapter 5: On Our Way

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Chapter 5

_On Our Way_

A sudden, frigid breeze swept past us, and I shivered, flattening my ears. This is what was strange about spring-- it was so warm during the day, but so cold at night.

We were still marching through the field, which was bigger than I think anyone expected. The little flowers speckled everywhere were almost glowing in the light of the moon and the stars. The brilliantly green grass (which had darkened at dusk) was swaying like a wave in these gusts. Everything around us was quiet, disregarding the chirping of crickets and the calls of nightingales.

I walked beside Sapphire and Tin towards the back of the crowd as I listened them talk.

"I doubt this plan'll work," muttered the brown and white tom, his head bent low and his amber eyes narrowed the slightest bit.

Sapphire glanced sideways at him. "Are you questioning Dire's plan? He's a smart leader, he knows what he's doing."

Tin flicked an ear as he walked. "I'm not _against_ the plan. I want to get the lake back as much as you, or any cat does. I'm just worried that it might fail. And it probably will." He muttered the last sentence under his breath.

I looked over at him. "As long as everything runs smoothly and according to plan, it'll work. Sapphire's right-- stop questioning Dire."

Tin let out a snort. "And lucky us, we get to rely on you and _Mourn._ Honestly, what was Dire _thinking_ when he selected your brother?" I pulled my lips back into the beginnings of a snarl-- it didn't take too much to get me mad, I'll have to admit, which some have told me is my main weakness...

Noticing my anger, Sapphire quickly stepped in. "Tin, Mourn is capable of this. And I'm sure that Nightfall will keep him in line." She smiled at me and gave me a friendly nudge. "Besides, he's a good cat."

"When his head isn't up in the clouds, thinking about Badger," Tin retorted quietly. I pretended not to hear.

"Anyway," the silver she-cat continued, "Ross is going, too. He's Dire's brother, so we don't have to question his loyalty."

"Ah, the tom that never talks!" Tin rolled his eyes as he walked, keeping his gaze ahead of him and never turning to us. "I don't think anyone would notice if he were gone, honestly." I let out a low growl of irritation. Why was Sapphire's brother always so annoying?

I opened my mouth to reply, but then glanced behind me to see the black and white form of Ross himself following after Tin. He had obviously heard his comment and came forward. His expression was unreadable, other than the fact that his amber eyes were narrowed.

"...Seriously," Tin continued, unaware of his presence, "he acts so secretive. And so high and mighty, just because he's Dire's brother."

"I wouldn't say that," growled Ross in a low voice as he ran up to Tin's side, who whipped his head around.

"U-uh," he stammered. "You didn't think I was talking about _you,_ Ross, did you? Nonsense." He gave a weak laugh.

Ross pulled back the corners of his mouth, revealing his sharp, white teeth as he let out a snarl. "And you don't have to lie, either, kid. If you don't like me, don't pretend you do." With that, he stalked away, his head bowed low. Not in sadness, though, I knew. I sighed, and wondered if he ever felt misunderstood.

"I'll be right back," I muttered, running after him.

He had pushed through the crowd, and I had to do so as well as I passed by the others. I slowed my pace when I reached Badger and Mourn, figuring I might as well stop to chat for a moment.

"Hey, guys," I said frankly, glancing over at them. Badger was pressed against my brother, and I would have whispered in his ear how cute that was if I wasn't so frustrated with Tin.

"Hi, Nightfall," smiled Badger.

"Hey, sis," Mourn purred, a sheepish grin on his face. I nodded to them.

"Hey." My brother tilted his head slightly, his amber eyes glistening in the moonlight.

"You okay?" he asked. I nodded rigidly.

"Fine," I mumbled. "It's just that Tin is about the stupidest, most aggravating tom on this planet."

"Even more so than Kano?" asked Mourn lightly, trying to make a joke. I couldn't help but offer a small smile.

"Well, okay, not quite as bad." _No_ one could be worse than Kano...

"What did Tin do?" inquired Badger, tilting her head and looking at me as she walked.

I shook my head. "He just said some stupid things. It doesn't matter. Look, I need to talk to Ross. Is he far up ahead?"

Mourn grinned from ear to ear. "You have to talk to _Ross?_ Nightfall, I _knew_ you liked him!" I spun my head around and looked at him.

"Shut up, Mourn," I growled deeply. "I don't have time for this." Peeved, I stalked away from him and his little she-cat friend, cursing under my breath.

"Nightfall, it was just a joke!" I heard him call after me, but I ignored him.

Running up through the crowd (and being careful not to slam into anyone, as I sometimes do), I finally caught up to Ross. He was trotting up next to Mare, a tall, elegant she-cat, but they weren't saying a word to each other, so I figured it was just coincidence that she was here.

I padded up beside him, glancing sideways at him and trying to catch his gaze. If he noticed, he ignored me, and kept walking.

"Um, hey," I said, my voice actually somewhat soft. After a few moments, he seemed to realize that I was talking to him, and finally turned his head to me.

After he said nothing, I continued. "Uh, you okay?" I asked him. I knew what his reply would be already, but if I wanted to get a conversation going, I had to start small.

"Fine. Why wouldn't I be?" he replied, his tone impossible to pick his emotions from.

I shrugged. "I dunno. I thought maybe..." I broke off and sighed, shaking my head. "Never mind."

Ross turned his head away from me and kept absently walking. After a few awkwardly long moments, he said "You don't think what Tin said actually _bothered_ me, do you?"

I bit my lip, but quickly shook my head. "No, I mean..." I sighed. "No. I was just making sure you were okay."

He looked back at me, his amber eyes flickering with an emotion I couldn't detect. "I'm surprised anyone would actually care," he said flatly, but there was no accusation in his voice.

After I remained quiet for a few moments, he picked up his pace, trotting away from me.

"Wait," I soughed, following after him. "I just... don't understand why you don't talk to anyone. I bet you have a lot of interesting things to say."

Ross slowed, glanced back at me and waiting for me to catch up. When I reached him, he looked directly at me, clearly a little surprised.

Finally, he spoke. "Maybe I just don't _want_ anyone to hear what I have to say," he replied gruffly. His eyes flickered and he turned away, running up to the front of the crowd and leaving me staring after him.

xRxOxSxSx

It wasn't long until we finally reached the end of the field. The beginning of a forest came suddenly, a clear line dividing the two lands. There were trees of all sorts-- beeches, maples, oaks, birches, aspen-- all silhouetted against the night sky. The group silently entered, and we were once again under the cover of the swaying branches above us. I relaxed more, knowing that we were safer.

The ground was covered in broken twigs and dried leaves from the autumn before. Bramble bushes and patches of ferns decorated the woods, along with shrubs with clumps of small, red berries (Which my mother had told me long ago never to eat). A few rocks were randomly placed here and there, and I would occasionally see feathers lying on the ground, adding to the decor. And the light of the moon brilliantly seeped through the trees, lighting our path (a little bit).

I had let myself fall to the back of the group and was walking next to Sapphire. Tika and Scarlet were nearby, chatting nonstop to each other. I cringed at their voices, but wasn't in the mood to snap at them.

Luckily, Tin had gone ahead, leaving me to talk to Sapphire alone.

"So you talked to Ross?" she asked quietly, keeping her head and voice low. I nodded.

"Yeah, I..." I shook my head. "Yeah."

Sapphire turned to me slightly, raising an eyebrow. "What did you tell him? What did he say?"

I shrugged. "I just wanted to make sure he was okay after what Tin said about him."

Sapphire nodded, and I noticed a glimmer of curiosity in her gaze. "So what did he tell you?"

I sighed. "I couldn't really get through to him. But he said he was fine, and..."

My friend blinked, glancing at me. "And?" she prodded, interested.

I sucked in my breath. "I asked him why he never talked to anyone."

"You did?" she exclaimed, her head now directed right at me rather than the path in front of her.

"Branch," I warned, and she quickly looked down, stepping over a large branch that she would have otherwise tripped over. "But, yeah. I did. And... he said that maybe he doesn't ever talk to anyone because he doesn't want them to hear what he has to say. And then he just... padded away."

"Ross is a mystery, alright," mumbled Sapphire.

Our path soon inclined, and we were padding up a large boulder. The surface felt scratchy beneath my paws, and was slightly irritating.

Dire stopped once we reached the top of the boulder, flicking his tail to signal for us to do the same. I lifted my head, trying to see over the other cats. The boulder went steeply down, almost vertically, about ten taillengths, where the land then sloped down naturally.

Our leader turned to us, lashing his tail to silence us.

"I'm guessing we're about halfway, give or take a small amount, to the lake." I pricked my ears, realizing that the lake really wasn't too far from our most recent home. "Is everyone doing alright?" I glanced around, and then looked behind me. A few cats were helping to carry kittens, and Ribbon, a calico cat with a broken leg, limped beside them.

A few cats responded "Yes," and Dire then nodded.

"Good. Let's continue."

He looked over the steep decline and began running down the steep stone, leaping to the ground when he was near the bottom. Few by few, the rest of us followed his lead, and I watched as cats raced down the rock. Some had slipped and were tumbling down, but luckily the slope wasn't high enough for anyone to be seriously hurt. It was actually kind of funny to watch.

It was mine and Sapphire's turn next. I bit my lip, hoping my short legs wouldn't trip me up. Taking a deep breath, I cautiously began down, but the steepness of the boulder forced me to run. I sprinted down, and then leaped to the ground, Sapphire following close behind me.

The group continued through the forest, all of us trotting down a slight hill through the fairly spaced-out trees. My throat felt dry, and I remembered how long it had been since I got a drink. _Maybe there will be a stream up ahead,_ I thought and hoped.

As I walked beside my friend, I recalled when I had snapped at Mourn.

"I guess I'd better go apologize to him," I murmured, mainly to myself, but Sapphire overheard.

"Who? Ross?"

I shook my head. "No, Mourn."

Sapphire flicked an ear, glancing at me. "Mourn? What did you do?"

I shrugged. "I just snapped at him and I thought that I'd better say sorry. I'll talk to you later." Sapphire blinked, but nodded.

"Okay. See you, Nightfall!" I waved my tail in farewell and trotted faster down the hill, passing by others. I clumsily bumped into a white-furred cat with dark brown patches spotted here and there.

"Oof, sorry," I muttered. The cat turned around, and I clenched my teeth together when I saw that it was Tin. He was wearing a blank expression.

"Oh, uh, that's okay, Nightfall," he replied easily. He seemed out of it. "Just try to watch we're your going." There was so aggression in his voice, but frustration still welled up in me.

"And _you_ should watch your mouth!" I hissed, stalking away from him before he could reply.

The land evened out, taking away the ease of walking downhill. I pushed through the cats, careful not to bump into anyone else, and finally caught up with my brother and Badger. They were talking rapidly together, and they kept smiling at each other constantly. I flicked my tail as I watched them, and it wasn't until a few moments later that I realized that jealousy was surging through me. But I shook it away and approached them, trying to keep myself calm.

"Hey, guys," I said, feigning cheer. The looked over at me.

"

"Oh, hey, Nightfall," greeted Mourn, a bit more dull than usual. I sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry I snapped at you. I was just in a really bad mood, okay?" He smiled slightly and nodded.

"That's okay. I shouldn't have said anything, anyway." I flashed him a small grin.

"So we're cool, right?"

"Yeah." He smiled, and I returned the gesture.

"Okay. Well, I'll see you guys later."

"Bye!" they chimed in unison as I trotted ahead. I was walking alone. Well, not alone, but with cats that I didn't know very well and didn't want to bother talking to.

The group carried on, and a soft gurgling entered through my ears. I raised my head, smelling the scent of fresh water. Not too far ahead, I saw a stream right in front of our path. We all slowed down and Dire lifted his head.

"Everyone, we're stopping for a drink. We're not staying for long, though, so get some water and then we'll be on our way again." The mob broke apart, and I dashed over to the creek, parched. I looked down at the water, so clear that I could see the pebbles on the bottom and the small shapes of each solitary fish that swam by. I could see my reflection for a brief second before the water's ripples blurred it away.

I lowered my head, lapping up some of the sweet liquid and gratefully swallowing it, feeling slightly relaxed as the cool water went down my throat. I took a few more drinks and then raised my head, licking my muzzle. The group was already continuing on, a few cats still desperately drinking.

After a moment, I continued after the group, the rest of the cats trailing behind us. As we continued through the dark forest, my head was whirling and my heart began to pound. We were on our way to the lake. Where we would take back what was stolen from us.

We were on our way back home.

And once we got it back, I'd be able to run through the fields like my mother told me we would... with the butterflies.

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Poor Ross. So misunderstood. Hehe, I guess Nightfall's biggest secret is that she loves butterflies. xD

Pleeease review! Reviewers will get a Sapphire plushie to add to their collection. :D

Constructive criticism is also appreciated!

Till next time~

Pearly


	6. Chapter 6: A Small Sacrifice

Thank ya very much for everyone who's been reading and reviewing! :)

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Onto the story!

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Chapter 6

_A Small Sacrifice_

I parted my jaws, letting out a huge yawn as I blinked sleepily. The journey hadn't been that long, but for some reason I was still exhausted. I just wanted to lie down in a nice, warm bed of moss and feathers and drift to sleep...

We had made a lot of progress, though. We were continuing our way through the seemingly never-ending forest, the silver moonlight slipping through the treetops. I was caught up in a sort of trance, memories of all kinds in my head. Memories of the lake, memories of the fire, memories with my recent encounter with Ross...

Not that I _liked_ him, though. Of course not. But I felt as if someone really sat down and talked to him, he would open up... Well, maybe. I made a mental note to try that sometime.

My paws felt numb as I continued along the leafy path. I was towards the back of the crowd again, and I didn't notice until a few moments later than someone was talking to me.

"Hey, Nightfall." I pricked my ears and took a sideways glance. Trotting beside me was a tall she-cat with unusually long legs and a pelt of orange. She had darker stripes searing down her body, and her paws and muzzle were white. Her eyes were a gorgeous shade of crystal-blue, and the corners of her lips were raised in a small grin.

I immediately felt jealously surge through me. It seemed like _every_ cat in my band was prettier than I was.

"Hey, Ember," I replied, slightly confused. This she-cat never talked to me, and over time I had gotten the feeling that she never _wanted_ to. But I didn't want my chance to talk with such a popular she-cat to slip, and so I held back any rude remarks that I could have come up with. And there were a lot...

"So, I noticed you talking with Ross not too long ago." My blood turned to ice, and I looked at her, trying to detect her emotion. My whiskers twitched when I saw a smug smirk on her pointed face.

"What's it to you?" I growled, turning away from Ember and refocussing my eyes on the path.

"Oh, come on, Nightfall," she purred. "It's obvious you like him..." I glared at her and wanted to claw that snooty little face of hers, but simply replied, "No, I don't. Why did you even bother talking to me? I'm obviously not _good_ enough for you, anyway."

I felt a twinge of satisfaction when I saw her sapphire eyes flare with anger.

"You aren't if you're just going to insult me!" I just rolled my eyes. I had been doing that a lot lately.

"Well maybe I won't 'insult you,' as you say, if you don't come up to me and immediately make stupid accusations that are none of your business to begin with."

"Well, you should just _be quiet,_ alright, Nightfall?" I snorted and rolled my eyes yet again.

"Wow, great comeback," I muttered sarcastically. With a flick of my tail I pushed my way up further into the crowd. I didn't have time for idiots like Ember. Honestly, I'd rather talk to Scarlet and Tika. They were annoying, but not snooty and stuck-up.

We continued through the darkness, and every now and then I would hear the hoot of an owl or the rustle of prey in the undergrowth. My stomach growled and I sighed. It'd been a while since I had eaten anything.

I was just getting ready to look for Mourn and Badger when suddenly I heard Dire's voice echo through the crowd.

"_Stop!"_ The group froze in place, ears were pricked, and gazes were averted to the front of the throng. The leader's back was turned to us as he held his head high in the air that he was scenting.

"I can smell other cats!" he announced. I blinked in surprise and sniffed around myself. It was very weak, but it was there-- the scent of other cats. Dire had always had the best nose in our band of rogues.

"We are very close to one of the Clans' territories. We must quickly find a temporary home near it's boundary. We will march in the opposite direction of the border until we find a makeshift camp." My heart thudded with excitement and my head pounded with curiosity and anxiety. I wondered which Clan we were scenting, and what the cats would be like. And in another corner of my mind, doubts were popping up. What if the invaders were to turn Ross, Mourn and I away? What if they were to catch us in the act of murdering their leader?

Murdering... That... isn't the right verb. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that I'm evil for having such a concern. Shouldn't I have been more concerned over the fact that I was sent to kill someone in cold blood?

I shook my head quickly, trying to escape my thoughts. To me and the rest of my band, _they_ were the evil ones. _They_ stole our home.

And like I said before, perspective is everything...

Right...?

Dire led the crowd away from the area, and I was thinking of how ironic it would be if a group of the invaders were to come by and see us. I shook myself again and raised my head, trying to stay determined. If I were to die during this mission, I wouldn't care, as long as the outcome of the commission was successful.

We continued our way through the dense forest, and for a brief moment, the silver light from above was gone. Fluffy clouds were beginning to drift calmly against the sky, covering the moon every now and then. I sucked in my breath, hoping that they wouldn't get thicker and darker. By then, I'd grown a fear of thunderstorms... And I think you can see how.

I slipped by a few cats in the throng as I lifted my head, looking for Badger and Mourn. I found them towards the front of the group, trotting together happily as their their tails twined. I sighed, trying to let cuteness form in my mind before jealousy could.

"Hi," I greeted them as I ran up beside them. They both turned to me, both of them appearing embarrassed.

"Hey, Nightfall," said Mourn with a small laugh as he glanced at Badger. I snickered.

"You two don't have to be so embarrassed, especially not around me." They both flattened their ears; I had obviously been no help.

"So, where have you been, Nightfall?" asked Badger, though I wasn't really listening. My gaze was focused at the front of the crowd, where, over the other cats, I spotted Ross. He was walking aside Dire, mumbling something to him as he kept his head bent low. I flicked an ear in wonder.

"Nightfall?" I whirled around and looked at Badger, whose eyes were round with confusion. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? ...Oh! Yeah, I'm fine," I said with a weak grin. The black and white she-cat raised an eyebrow, but said nothing more.

It wasn't long until we reached a forest clearing. Once we pushed our way through a thick patch of bracken (whose leaves I had to shake from my pelt), we broke into the opening. It was somewhat large, and there were low-hanging branches that made it at least a little bit hidden. There were a few yew and blueberry bushes around the glade, which could be provided as dens. It was a very dark space; the overhanging trees blocked out much of the moonlight. Another cold breeze went by, and I shuddered.

The throng came to a stop as we all looked ahead at Dire, waiting for him to speak.

"We will stay here for the time being," he announced. "You may all rest here. I want Ember, Mare, Tin, and Maxwell to go hunting. Be sure that you go nowhere near the invaders' territory." The four selected cats dipped their heads and left the group, joining together as they departed deeper into the woods.

The crowd of cats finally began to disperse. Some of them lay down to rest while others looked around the temporary camp. I exchanged a sideways glance with my brother, and I'm pretty sure that we were both thinking the same thing... _When are we going to go into the invaders' territory?_

After a few moments, I watched as Dire lifted his head and gazed directly at me and Mourn. Ross stood beside him, his expression unreadable. The leader flicked his tail.

"Mourn, Nightfall. Come here." After my brother gave a quick lick on the ear to Badger, we both padded over to join them.

"Yes, Dire?" I asked, dipping my head with respect. He sat down, motioning for us to do the same.

"You three will leave for the invaders' territory tomorrow at around noon. It will be much more suspicious to them if you randomly appear in the middle of the night." My brother and I dipped our heads in acknowledgment. Ross just sat there beside Dire, having an air of... not quite self-importance, per se, but he clearly thought that he had more power than us because of his kinship.

"Now, listen closely," continued the leader, his tone serious. "I want you three to have the appearance of weak loners that fled from their barn that burned down in a fire." I flicked an ear. It was _almost_ the truth... "So, I want you to accept that to make this more realistic, then I will have to inflict some wounds on you three. I will not severely hurt any of you, but it will... sting." He glanced back and forth between me and Mourn. He seemed to have already talked it over with his brother. "Do you understand that?"

I was hesitant, but I quickly dipped my head. I didn't want to lose my dignity. And if I refused _now_, then Dire would surely chose another cat for the job.

"Good," Dire spoke, with a nod of his head after both Mourn and I agreed. "You should all get some sleep. You'll leave tomorrow." And with that, the leader turned and walked away into the darkness with a flick of his tail. I watched as he lay down near an old tree stump by the edge of the clearing, though his eyes flickered as he continued to watch his band.

I turned to Ross, but he was already stalking away from us, his head bent low. I let out a small snort as I turned to my brother, and was surprised to see worry on his face, clear as day.

"What's wrong?" I asked him as I drew a paw over my ear. "Worried about the mission?" The white cat shifted uncomfortably.

"No, it's not that, it's just..." He glanced away from me, and I followed his gaze. He was looking right at Badger, and I immediately understood.

"You're worried that you might not see her again," I murmured, flattening my ears. I wondered if I could have chosen my words better.

Mourn gave a stiff nod. "This mission isn't gonna be easy, Nightfall," he said with a sigh. "I might die. And if I do, I..."

"You won't die," I broke him off and nudged his shoulder assuringly. "This'll be easy as killing a fat old mouse stuck in a hole." He gave a weak laugh.

"I hope you're right." None of us spoke for a moment. Then, he hoisted himself to his paws. "I'm gonna go get some sleep. See you in the morning, Nightfall." I nodded, watching as he went to meet Badger, and the two of them padded away.

I glanced around the dark, silent clearing, sitting all alone. I flattened my ears and, with a sigh, curled up right there. I _knew_ this wouldn't be easy. It would be _much_ harder than "killing a fat old mouse stuck in a hole." But I had to assure Mourn, right?

Sometimes lying is better than telling the truth.

That was the last thought I had before closing my eyes, letting sleep wrap itself around me.

__________________ __________________ __________________ __________________

Sorry if it seemed a little... rushed. It kinda was. xD

It's almost time for the chosen three to go to the invaders' territory! :D

Please review! Reviewers will get a Ross plusheh! :3 Constructive criticism is amazing.

Till next time,

Pealry


	7. Chapter 7: The Mission Begins

**I haven't updated for ages! Whooops. Sorry for whoever was waiting, I was on vacation for a while and I didn't have my computer with me... But I **_**did**_** get tons of ideas for the plot later on in the story! : D **

**Review Replies:**

**Macey-the-Invisible: Heehee, maybe she does, maybe she doesn't... : D All will be revealed eventually!**

**Revriley: Aah, thank you, thank you. :3 Yeah, sorry I take so long to update... x3**

**pat8881099921: Aw, thankies. What exactly do you mean, "you would have made his death more gruesome"? No one dies in that chapter...? : D Hehe, I'm confused. Feel free to clarify... or not! xD And here's your update for ya! Thanks so much for reading!**

**VioletteRose: Woooww, I even spelled my own name wrong? That's embarrassing. : D And you're right about spelling "refocusing," whoops! Thanks for pointing that out! And about the mouse thing, do you mean it should go like this?: It would be much harder than "killing a fat old mouse stuck in a hole". Hmm, maybe you're right... I'll have to check on that. xD**

**Thank you guys sooo much for reading! I'll try to update more often! : ) Enjoy the story~**

Chapter 7

_The Mission Begins_

I had a very short, fleeting dream that night that I could scarcely remember the next morning. But from what I can recall, it was raining. So hard that I could barely see... There was almost as much water falling from the heavens as the great thunderstorm that shook us from our second home.

I remember feeling stone beneath my paws. Cold, hard stone. I was drenched with water, the liquid slowly dripping from the tips of my black fur and onto the rocky ground, colliding with the already existing puddles. I can remember hearing nothing but the rain and my own breathing. And then, I collapsed onto my side.

That's when I woke up.

It was soon after dawn when I awoke; early morning's streaks of sun were pouring into the clearing, slipping through the gaps between the low-hanging branches. I heard chickadees in the distance, calling out their familiar songs along with the magpies. The occasional shriek of a crow ruined the melody, though...

It was somewhat cool, but it would surely warm up later in the day. A refreshing spring breeze swept by, ruffling my pelt a little. I tiredly blinked my amber eyes as I staggered to my paws. I shook myself, and a few pieces of dried-up leaves fell to the ground. I parted my jaws into a yawn as I looked around.

Mostly everyone was still asleep. Many of the cats had made nests beneath the bushes, and some slept beside the thick boundary of ferns that surrounded us. Only a few others slept right out in the open, towards the middle of the glade.

I spotted Dire and Ross, lying down beside each other near a blueberry bush. At first, I thought they were asleep at first, but then I noticed that they were talking to each other. Their heads were low, and I couldn't catch a trace of what they were saying, not even when I pivoted my ears in their direction. It was then that I was suddenly reminded... that today would be the day. Excitement and fear welled up in me and I involuntarily began kneading the ground.

I looked around for my brother; he was lying on the ground, pressed beside Badger as the two of them slept soundly by the clumps of bracken. I sighed and took another glance over at Ross and Dire. I found my eyes focusing on the black and white tom as he spoke with his leader. I was in a sort of trance for a moment, but I quickly caught myself. But right when I was about to look away, Ross caught my gaze. I froze, our amber eyes reflecting off of each other's. His expression was as cold as always, though it was hard to tell what was going on through that tom's head.

"Hello, Nightfall," came a voice from behind me, drawing me from my thoughts. I turned around quickly, seeing a tom stand before me. He was rather small for a male, perhaps about my height. His shaggy pelt was dust-gray with almost black stripes going down it. His paws, neck and muzzle were white, and his green eyes glowed in a way that fit in with the words he was saying.

I nodded politely to him. We weren't really _friends..._ More like acquaintances. We talked sometimes, usually when we had no one else. But he was a good cat.

"Hey, Maxwell," I replied, sitting down and wrapping my tail around my legs. "When did you wake up?"

"A while," he confessed in a low murmur as he flattened his ears. "I couldn't get to sleep. I know I'll regret it later." I smiled slightly.

"Well, it's not exactly the most _relaxing_ time. We're about to go to begin our quest, anyway." Maxwell lifted his sturdy head, clearly interested.

"Oh, yes. When do you, Mourn and Ross leave? Today?" I nodded stiffly as Dire's last words rang in my head.

"Yeah... Sometime around noon. Dire said that it would be less suspicious if we turned up in the day rather than at night." The small gray tom nodded.

"That's understandable. I..." He broke off and lifted his head, gazing behind where I sat. I flicked an ear and turned my head. There stood two cats, though I only noticed one of them at first. A lean, muscular tom with black and white fur and blazing amber eyes... Ross. I blinked, suddenly realizing that I was staring right at him. Again. He looked back, as expressionless as ever. I quickly glanced away, putting my attention to Dire, the dark brown tabby standing beside his brother. His matching amber eyes were serious as he quickly dipped his head to both me and Maxwell.

"Nightfall," the leader spoke, the tip of his tail twitching slightly. "We need to discuss a few things with you and your brother." I blinked yet again, going through the words he had just said. _We_ need to discuss a few things? Did he regard Ross not as just another cat for the mission, but as a leader as well? As a second-in-command?

I glanced over my shoulder, looking back at Mourn and Badger. The she-cat had awoken and was sleepily looking around the clearing, but the snow-white tom still slept heavily.

"I'll wake him up," I said quickly, padding away from the small group and trying to ignore Ross's eyes searing through my pelt as I walked.

"Nightfall?" yawned Badger tiredly when I had reached the couple. "Is that you?"

"Hi, Badger," I replied, not even bothering to look at the black and white she-cat. But then something occurred to me, and I rested my gaze on her for a moment. This was the first time that she reminded me of...

"Ross and Dire are staring at you," she said under her breath, glancing uneasily at the two toms. I ignored them and looked back at my brother. He was rolled up into a ball, and his tail rested over his face. I lifted a paw, gently prodding him until he stirred.

I waited a moment, growing impatient. I was aware of Dire and Ross watching and waiting for me, so I batted my sheathed paw roughly on his head.

He awoke with a start, his amber eyes flying wide open.He lifted his head, blinking quickly.

"Who? What? Wh..." He broke off, seeing me above him. He frowned and slowly got to his paws, stretching and yawning widely.

"Thanks for waking me up, Nightfall," he said sarcastically. "What do you want?"

"We have to talk to Dire and Ross," I told him, glancing back at them again. Maxwell had already left, and was nowhere in sight.

"Oh, it must be about the mission!" Badger exclaimed. _No, we're making a bet on how much prey we can catch in an hour._ I bit back the sarcastic retort, waiting for Mourn to finish his morning stretching. He gave his pelt a quick grooming before he grinned at me.

"Okay, let's go, then." He gave a quick lick on the ear to Badger, and she nuzzled him in return. At least they were getting less awkward.

xDxIxRxEx

"The first thing you all must do is change your names temporarily," Dire said. All four of us were crammed together in a small circle at the edge of the clearing, out of earshot. I didn't understand why it had to be so secretive, but I suppose Dire had his reasons.

"We don't know what kind of information that loner could have got from us when he passed by recently," the leader continued. "Anything could have been passed on to the invaders. We need to be very cautious if we want this plan to succeed." He looked briefly at Mourn, and then me. "You two will have to make up names that they will know you by. And you must always call each other by these names, even when you think you're alone."

This would be fun. But what kind of name would suit me?

Mourn spoke first. "I'll be Sampson." He tried to look serious, but I caught him glancing sideways at me, his deep yellow eyes dancing with enthusiasm.

I tried to hold back laughter myself. _Sampson?_ Well, it definitely fit him.

Dire nodded. "Sampson," he said, as if to get it into his head. "You must remember that name. Keep it with you at all times, and never tell anyone that your name is anything else."

Mourn nodded. "I understand." Then, all eyes went to me, as if they automatically expected me to have a name ready. I bit my lip, quickly going through names. Let's see, I had black fur, amber eyes... I could be Darkness, Raven, Dusk...

"I'll be Dusk," I said quickly. I hadn't really had time to think, and the name came flying out. But I thought about it for a moment, and I decided I liked it. Dusk. It has a ring to it.

"Dusk," said my leader, bowing his head. "I have already spoken to Ross, and he will be known as Ray. Remember these names and use extreme caution." I glanced at Ross, and if he noticed that I was looking at him, he ignored me. Ray... It fit him, too.

"Ray, Dusk, and Sampson," Dire said, getting to his paws. "I will call a meeting at noon. Shortly before then, I will apply the... "special effects" to you. And then, you'll be on your way." _Special effects?_ I thought. _Is he referring to the scars he's going to give us? Odd way of putting it..._

I watched silently as the duo left us, and once they were out of earshot, I turned to Mourn, a huge grin on my face.

_"Sampson?"_ I said, finally bursting into laughter. "Is that the best you could think of?"

Mourn smiled, giving a small chuckle. "Hey, I like that name!"

"At least it fits you," I replied, gently cuffing his ear with my paw.

xSxAxMxPxSxOxNx

And there the three of us stood, all in an uneven line-- Ross, Mourn and me. Or should I say: Ray, Sampson and me. We were away from camp, out into the forest. The afternoon sun sent slits of light through the trees, warming my pelt. I let in the smell of the forest; it had a different scent than the one that had caught on fire. ...I liked it.

"Are you all ready?" spoke Dire seriously as he looked, for a moment, at each of us. His name fit him-- he was always so... Well, dire.

My fur prickled with unease and I involuntarily dug my claws into the ground. I couldn't let instinct take me over. I couldn't fight back. I glanced over at my brother-- he had an anxious frown on his face. When I looked over at Ross, he appeared to be neutral.

I grew to wonder if he actually never did feel any emotion, or if he was just good at hiding them. What cat doesn't feel _anything?_

My leader spoke a few last words to us before stepping towards Mourn. It seemed that he was first up, and the only thing I could do was watch quietly. _Remember, this is for the mission,_ I reminded myself, and I felt a bit better.

Without another sound, Dire suddenly flung his long, unsheathed claws down the white tom's face, red beads of blood immediately splashing upon his fur. Mourn let out a small hiss in reaction to the sudden pain, and I could tell that he was trying to stay still. Dire then moved to the side, clawing his flanks as he lightly-- but firmly-- bit down into his left shoulder. Finally, the dark brown tabby tom raked his claws down Mourn's back right leg. He took a step back, examining his work. The white cat was now red as well; blood slowly ran down his fur, a few drops falling from his pelt and onto the leaves below. The pain was clear from his expression, but he didn't say anything else.

Dire gave a nod, before turning to me. I felt my heart start to beat faster with each step he took to approach me. He looked at me for a moment, as if trying to decide what he should do. Inclining his head, he walked to my side. I stared ahead, waiting for the pain.

Finally, he dug the claws of his right paw into my right shoulder, while he bit down on the left one. I pulled back my lips, but restrained the snarl that was at the tip of my tongue.

He then removed his grip to drag his claws down my back, almost, even, to my tail. I clenched my teeth together, and was relieved only slightly when he stopped. I knew that he still had more to do. And I was right. He walked back over to face me, and then lightly drew his claws against my chest, making only a small scrape. But it stung, nonetheless. He applied another small scratch to my front left leg before taking several steps back. I felt warm blood against my pelt, and shots of pain coursed through me.

"There," he spoke, giving another nod. He looked briefly at me and Mourn before finally turning to his brother.

He seemed more hesitant to hurt Ross, and I could tell. But the black and white tom just stood there, looking as if he hadn't a care at all. They exchanged nods before Dire stepped forward.

He raked his claws down the side of Ross's throat, and gave a small scratch on his muzzle. I watched silently; why did I hate to see this so much? I searched the tom's face, looking for something, _anything_ that implied that he was in pain. Anything to know that he cared.

Dire finished with a long, deep slash along his brother's side and a rough bite on the tail.

He looked at us, pausing at each individual for a moment before dipping his head.

"You're ready. I will call the meeting now. Let's go back to camp." Nobody spoke as we took our short journey back. There was nothing to be said. Nothing at all. I tried to ignore the stinging wounds in my pelt, and concentrated only on where I was walking.

It didn't work too well.

By the time we entered the clearing, almost all of the other cats were awake. I glanced around, aware of all the eyes upon us. I noticed that the eyes of most of the others were widened in shock. Some were staring at Dire with what seemed like disbelief. _They must not have been told that Dire was going to wound us,_ I thought. _They probably think we did something wrong. That we betrayed them, and were punished. _So I raised my head high and looked straight ahead. Dire led us to the middle of the clearing where we halted. By then, every cat in the glade was awake and staring at us, expecting some sort of announcement.

Ross, Mourn and I stood in a small line behind our leader, who lifted his head and began to speak.

"I want everyone's attention!" he hollered, swiping his amber gaze over each and every cat. But his request was unnecessary; he had their attention, all right.

"It is time for these three to depart to the invaders' territory. I have given them a few small wounds to make it seem more realistic." He paused, as if to let everyone soak in his words. He nodded before continuing. "Until they return, we will live in this clearing. _Nobody_ may cross into the invaders' territory, _understood?"_ He spoke with such power that no cat dared to object.

Dire glanced at us before looking back at the crowd. "When they return, it will be at night. They will tell us that they're ready for us to aid them in the destruction of the first Clan. I will go over the details when the time comes." He turned to us again, fully this time as he bowed his head. "It is time for you three to go. I, as well as the rest of the band, hope that you have a safe journey, and a _successful_ mission." I stiffened, wondering what he would do if this plan were to fail. I shook the thought out of my head.

"W-Wait," murmured Mourn, glancing behind his leader. I followed his gaze to see-- what a surprise!-- Badger. He must have wanted to say goodbye to her.

"What is it?" demanded Dire, the tip of his tail flicking back and forth. Mourn shuffled his paws.

"If it's alright... I'd like to say goodbye to someone..."

The dark brown tabby blinked, and then finally nodded. "Go ahead, but don't take too long." My brother dipped his white head and slowly padded over to Badger. I watched, deciding that I'd join them in a minute, once they had a moment to themselves.

I pricked my ears, trying to hear what they said, but to no avail. They brushed against each other, whispering quiet words. It seemed like Mourn was having trouble looking at her.

"Nightfall!" I heard a voice call. I turned around, seeing Sapphire, Tin, and Maxwell, standing in a small group. Sapphire was wearing a small, sad smile. Maxwell was dipping his head to me, and Tin was looking at the ground.

"We just wanted to say that we'll miss you," said the silver she-cat sincerely. "Don't get into any kind of trouble..." I purred in amusement, rolling my eyes.

"I won't, Sapphire."

"We hope you have a successful mission," spoke Maxwell, nodding his head. "Good luck." I turned to him, smiling slightly.

"Thanks, Maxwell."

"Oh, and, uh, Nightfall?" I blinked, turning to Tin. What did that moron want _now?_

I didn't say anything; I waited for him to speak.

"Sorry about, uh, earlier," he said, clearly uncomfortable. He finally looked up at me, but only for a brief moment before his eyes went back to his paws. I tried to hide a snort.

"Why apologize to me? It was Ross you were insulting." I stiffening, suddenly taking into account that the black and white tom was standing nearby, next to his brother. I glanced at him; his back was facing me, but I could see his ears prick.

Tin flattened his ears. "Yeah, well..." He broke off, saying nothing more. Which was fine with me.

"I'm gonna go say bye to Badger," I mewed, looking over my shoulder, where she and Mourn were still situated.

Sapphire nodded, smiling slightly again. "Come back safe," she said quietly, and I returned the grin.

"What do you take me for, a kit?" She laughed, and I was suddenly grateful that I had a friend like her. She was one of the only ones...

I took my leave and padded over to Badger and Mourn at the edge of the clearing. They were brushing against the bracken. They had been talking in low voices, but had stopped when they saw me coming.

"Hey," I said quietly, immediately sensing a feeling of forlornness as I sat down. Badger looked up at me, forcing a small smile. The tom looked at his paws.

No one said anything for a few moments, but I knew we were all thinking the same thing.

"Good luck," Badger finally said, directed at both me and my brother. I sighed, the corners of my lips rising just a bit.

"Thanks, Badger. Take care of yourself." She nodded, seemingly unable to speak.

I could suddenly sense another cat's presence, so I turned around, watching as Ross stepped closer to us.

"We have to go now," he said bluntly, not even looking at Badger. I sighed again and nodded, getting to my paws. Mourn did so as well, and it wasn't hard to detect the sadness that was in his heart.

Maybe _that's_ why I had never bothered to love. Because at some point, they'll be taken away from you... or _you'll _be taken away from _them._

I didn't know it then, but that would soon be changed.

But those thoughts left my head as the three of us walked slowly away through the bushes, goodbyes still ringing through the clearing.

_This is it,_ I thought with every step we took towards the invaders' territory.

_The mission begins now._

**Whoohoo, they're finally going into the Clans' territory! Took 'em long enough! Heehee. Next chapter, they'll encounter-- wait, I don't want to give it away. You'll just have to read to find out! : D**

**Please review and you will get a plushie of Mourn and Badger with their tails intertwined. : D And constructive criticism is awesome, too!**

**So, see y'all in the next chapter!**

**Au revoir pour maintenant (that's "Goodbye for now" in French, though I probably worded it wrong. : D ),**

**Pearly**


	8. Chapter 8: First Encounter

**Ahh, I'm a bad girl. I haven't updated this in weeks. T_T *shoots self* Well, since it's been so long since I've added a chapter, I've decided to put in a little recap. Y'know, like when you're watching a new episode of your favorite show and it says "Previously on..." whatever the show is. Er, yeah. xDD **

**Recap: Dire has come up with a dangerous plan in order to get back at the cats who stole their home. He elects three cats-- Nightfall, Mourn, and Ross-- to complete the task. The three of them must go to one of the four Clans, masquerading as loners who fled from their barn as a result of a fire. They must kill the Clan's leader and deputy, and then one of them must report back to the rest of the rogues, who are taking shelter in a clearing nearby. Then, they will attack the Clan at night, taking them by surprise. If this works, then they'll continue to take over the rest of the Clans. Nightfall, Mourn, and Ross have just been sent to their first target and will soon encounter a few of these Clan cats.**

**Er, hope that rang some bells~ :D**

**Time for review replies~ :3**

**VioletteRose: Haha, French rocks. Even though I suck at it xDD At least I know how to say "I can't speak French very well" if I ever encounter a French-speaking person xD Thanks for reading! ;D**

**Moonfeather: D'aw, thankies :3 Glad you like it~~**

**awed: Thanks? xD Eh heh. I don't take compliments very well~ *embarrassed***

**Revriley: Tankies, Revie! Heehee, hope you don't mind me calling you that. And yeah, I s'pose she would feel something for her brother, I just focused on Ross so... y'know... To show that she actually cares about him? I dunno. If that makes any sense. xDD Ahhh I ain't too good with explanations~ *shot***

**pat8881099921: Haha, okay. And thankies for reading! xD**

**All of you have probably given up on me ever updating again, eeheh. xD Well, here's the next chapter! BOOYAH! (Sorry, in a weird mood today. I just ate some French toast. Erm... Relevant? Ehh) xD So, hope you all enjoy!**

Chapter 8

_First Encounter_

My head was hung low as we treaded through the forest. My paws hurt, and my stomach growled with sudden hunger. The wounds on my pelt stung and burned, and by then, most of my eagerness had run out. We had been walking for what seemed like hours.

"Where are they?" muttered Mourn under his breath. "They should have found us by now!"

"Stop complaining," growled Ross, not even bothering to look back at him. We were in a jagged line-- the black and white tom was leading us, followed by me, and then my brother. I sighed and picked up my head, blinking with confusion when I saw a certain, jagged rock surrounded by a few small flowers.

"We passed by here before," I murmured, trying to hide my growing irritation. We were going in circles!

"And we'll keep going around and around the territory if we have to," replied Ross gruffly. "Until they find us." I suppressed another sigh of weariness as we kept stalking through the forest. A few dark clouds had appeared in the formerly blue sky, and I wondered if it would rain again. A breeze flew by, and I shivered as the wind pelted against my injuries.

"But what if they turn us down?" Mourn whispered frantically, trying to keep his voice down. "What if we can't earn their trust?"

"We'll earn their trust," muttered Ross as he pulled his lips back, his amber eyes narrowed. "Even if it takes months, we'll earn their trust." I looked over at him; he seemed so confident, so determined for this plan to work. I wondered if he felt a certain obligation, being the brother of Dire. From the gleam in his eyes, I could tell that he not only wanted, but _needed_ this plan to succeed.

Mourn still appeared unconvinced. He flattened his ears against his head and argued, "But what..."

Ross stopped short in his tracks, quickly cutting off my brother. I lifted my head and blinked, looking at the black and white tom. I was expecting for him to turn around and snap at Mourn, but instead he stood still, his ears erect. Then, he turned to face us as he sagged his shoulders, flattening his ears slightly.

"I don't know, Sampson," he said, suddenly seeming very weary. "We'll find food around here somewhere." I blinked again and glanced over at my brother, seeing confusion in his eyes.

"What are you..." he broke off suddenly as his eyes grew wide. I looked at him and then glanced around, and when new scents came over me, I understood. A group of invaders, very close to us. I could detect at least two or three different cats, and I realized that Ross was talking as if we really were desperate and starving. ...Just like three helpless loners that fled from their barn after a fire raged.

I heard bushes rustling nearby. Whoever it was, they were getting closer. But we had to act as if we hadn't a clue.

"We've been trailing on for hours, Ray," I growled, playing along, reminding myself that we had to use our pseudonyms for now. "There's nothing here."

Ross let out a sigh and turned his back to where the noise came from. It had stopped, and I suspected that they were watching us, waiting to make their move. I wondered what they were capable of, and what they would decide to do. What if they decided to kill us right then? I watched as Ross's amber eyes slowly narrowed as he quickly glanced behind him. He was waiting.

I slowly sat down and lowered my head, trying to make myself look weak and tired. Their scents grew stronger, and I could feel my heart begin to pound with anticipation. I, without meaning to, dug my front claws into the ground before exchanging a quick glance with Mourn.

Then, without warning, a burst of noise. Bushes rustled and I could hear voices suddenly shouting.

_ "Birchpaw, stop!" _

I quickly turned around, just in time to see a tom sprinting towards us. He was small, probably no older than ten moons. He had a light brown pelt, and his yellow eyes were flashing and narrowed to slits. I had no time to react. The small tom launched himself at Ross, knocking him immediately to the ground and pinning him on his side. I knew that Ross could have easily fought back. And he would have won, too. But that would have ruined the affect.

"Who are you?" hissed the small tom, apparently named Birchpaw. His lips were pulled back into a snarl. Mourn got to his paws and walked over beside me, staring off into the distance. I followed his gaze, watching as two older cats approached. One of them was a sleek she-cat with a pretty ginger coat, accompanied by a larger gray tom with long fur. The she-cat was sighing as she shook her head.

"Birchpaw, why did you do that?" she said, halting when the two cats finally reached us.

I paused, quickly looking over them. They both appeared to be strong and well-fed. They held themselves high, looking proud, yet at the same time they were obviously wary of us. The long-furred tom's tail was flicking slightly, and his amber eyes were narrowed the smallest bit. The she-cat seemed to be focused on Birchpaw, who was growling down at Ross.

"Get off of him," said the ginger cat with another sigh.

"But they're intruders!" shot back the young cat. "Maybe they're trying to invade!" When I heard this statement, I had to use all my effort to suppress a growl. We're the ones invading, now?

"We don't know that," said the larger tom, speaking up for the first time. "Get up and let's hear what they have to say." I heard a small mumble from Birchpaw as he released Ross and walked over to stand beside the other two. The black and white tom's eyes were flickering with annoyance, but he staggered to his feet, still making himself look defenseless.

"Who are you?" asked the she-cat softly yet at the same time firmly; she was tense, as if ready to attack at any moment if we said the wrong thing.

"We're loners," murmured Ross, lowering his head a bit. "Who are you?"

The ginger cat raised an eyebrow, and I could see a flicker of distrust sear through her emerald gaze. I knew this wouldn't be easy... But we would make it work.

"I'm Sandstorm," she finally said. "We're from ThunderClan." Ross's eyes flashed with acknowledgment, and I knew he was thinking the same thing as I: "So the first Clan we'll be taking over is ThunderClan."

"T-ThunderClan?" chimed Mourn, tilting his head. "What's that?" Sandstorm exchanged a glance with the tom beside her before he took a small step forward.

"There are four Clans of wild cats who live around the lake," he explained. "WindClan, ShadowClan, RiverClan, and ThunderClan. We all share these territories as the four Clans under StarClan." I had to hold back a chuckle. StarClan? This was getting interesting.

"You haven't told us what you're doing here," growled Birchpaw, his tail lashing wildly as he glared at us.

"Like I said, we're loners," replied Ross in a low voice. "We lived in a barn a distance from here, but it burned down days ago." I glanced sideways at him before turning to the Clan cats. Even though I barely knew them, hatred already rushed through my veins. They acted so proud, so high and mighty, as if _they_ were the first to find this place.

Sandstorm and her friend beside her exchanged a few quick, hushed words before refocussing back on us.

"We'll take you to Firestar," meowed the tom. "He's ThunderClan's leader; he'll decide what to do with you."

Firestar.

I took the name in, my whiskers twitching as I heard it. He was the leader of these cats, huh?

Well, not for long.

"What's _your_ name?" I spoke out to the long-furred tom. He blinked his amber eyes and replied, "My name's Graystripe, the deputy of ThunderClan."

So the Clans had deputies, after all. I predicted then that it would be a bit harder, having to kill the both of them... No, not harder. Just a bit more work cutting through our time.

"Let's go," Sandstorm said, turning in the direction they came from. She glanced over her shoulder at us, pausing a moment, and then began to pad off. Graystripe nodded to us and followed after her. Birchpaw stayed behind, his eyes narrowed; he looked as if he would attack us at any time. I let loose a small smirk, but quickly covered it up, hoping he hadn't seen.

As the invaders led us through their territory, everything slowly began to grow familiar to me. It had been so long since I'd been here, and I was only a young kit. But certain things seemed to stick out to me; like an oddly shaped boulder that we passed, coated in thick moss. I could have sworn I remembered that rock... Was that the rock that Mourn showed me as kits, the one that he so boldly leaped onto? The one where, once he was at the top, he puffed out his chest, looking so proud, until he slipped and went tumbling down? I remembered. And that tree-- the one with the thick branches that twisted in a bizarre pattern. I could remember that, too; I had watched my mother climb to nearly the top to catch a fat squirrel. She was a skilled climber, but I remember worrying that she'd fall. I called up to her, telling her to come down. But she just smiled gently back at me, insisting that she would be fine. She, of course, was.

And then we reached the hollow. The hollow that I remembered basking in the sun in when I was a kit. Schala would lie down beside me and groom my pelt or tell me stories. It was still lined with brambles, just as before.

"Watch out," warned Sandstorm as we approached the camp. "If you barge in right there, then you'll fall and land in a patch of thorns. That nearly happened to my daughter, when we first found this place." She gave a small chuckle, and her expression was soft. Her green eyes shone gently, as if she was suddenly caught up in memories.

The warriors took us to a small entrance within the brambles. Graystripe went first, and then us "loners" went in after. Sandstorm and Birchpaw took the back.

The sight that greeted me nearly made my stomach churn. Down in this stony hollow were dozens of cats, some of them eating, some of them lying lazily in the sun, some of the talking and doing nothing of any use. Here they were, in this hollow. _Our_ hollow. And as I stood on the steep slope, I had to stop myself from scraping my claws against the rock.

_We're here,_ I thought to myself. _This is where it truly begins._

**What a crappy ending. You don't have to tell me Dx And I totally have the whole plot in my head now :D Whoo!**

**Review, s'il vous plaaaaiiit! (That means "please" in French... Why am I talking in French so much? And why am I rambling so much and why *shot for the third time*) Reviewers will get an angry Birchpaw plushie :3 Constructive criticism is amazing~**

**Till next time!**

**Pearly~**


	9. Chapter 9: Rainwhisker's Doubts

**Happy Holidays, everyone! :D And yes, I know, I said I'd update more often. According to FF dot net, I haven't updated this since November 13th... D: *shot repeatedly* Well this time, I really **_**will**_** update more often! No more lying! xD I'm on winter break now, so I'll have much more time. : D **

**Buuuut just in case you forgot what's been happening, I'll put in another lil' recap xD Enjoy~ :3**

**Recap: After traveling through the forest for a while, Ross, Mourn and Nightfall come face to face with some of the invaders. They're from ThunderClan, and their names are Graystripe, Sandstorm, and Birchpaw. They earn a hostile greeting from Birchpaw, but Sandstorm manages to calm him down. After a few questions, the warriors decide to bring back the three "loners" to their camp. As they walk, Nightfall gets lost in memories. And then, they reach the camp, and she knows that this is where it all begins.**

**Yeppers. 8D Dun worry, I won't do that for every chapter-- just when I don't update for a while~ :3 Okie doke, time for review replies!**

**Macey-the-Invisible: Sandstorm totally is cool, right? 8D Although, I still miss her obnoxious little self when she was an apprentice. xD Ahh, the ol' days~ As for your prediction, well... We'll just have to wait and see! ;D**

**VioletteRose: Onoes! I hate it when reviews aren't sent! . Et oui, Birchpaw est trés mechant, mais, je t'adore ^-^ Lawl, I love my bad French. xD And teehee, evil cats in disguise xD We'll see what happens! :3 **

**Mudheart: Here's your update :D Gracias for reading! :3**

**updateupdate: Here you go! :3 Thanks for reading!**

**Revriley: I totes hear you :3 (The first time I tried to type that, I wrote "I totes you here"... Weird. xD) We'll see what happeeensss~ 8D Thankies for reading! You're always so nice T.T *sobs* Teehee ^-^**

**Moonfeather: Here's the update! xD I know it took forever, but... eh... xD Thanks for reading!**

**Alrighty, then! Time for the next chapter! :3 Enjoy~**

Chapter 9

_Rainwhisker's Doubts_

As the cats below slowly began to raise their heads, their eyes widening when they finally spotted us, time seemed to stop. Mourn, Ross and I slowly began to make our way down the steep slope with Graystripe in the front and Sandstorm and Birchpaw proceeding quietly behind us. There was silence, apart from a few muffled growls from somewhere in the crowd. I jumped down once I was at the bottom of the slope, landing neatly on my paws. It was then that I remembered to add a sag to my shoulders, an occasional stumble to my walk. I flicked an ear and continued to follow the deputy, ignoring the gazes burning through my pelt to both sides of me. I lowered my head slightly.

Then, a flicker of orange. I looked up, my ears pricked, to see a ginger tom calmly approach us. He looked fairly strong and quite healthy, and he had these green eyes that sparkled despite the lack of sunlight. Dark clouds had finally covered up the sky, and it looked as if it would begin to rain at any moment. Well, that's spring for you.

"Graystripe," the ginger tom greeted when he'd reached us. He dipped his head and then looked over at the three of us. "May I ask what's going on?"

"We found them in our territory," the deputy replied, casting a quick glance at us. "They're loners." This new tom nodded his head in acknowledgment and took a step towards us. He held his head high in a dignified manner, and his tail kept flicking back and forth. But he nonetheless offered a small smile and a quick bow.

"Would you three mind coming with me?" he asked, keeping the tiny grin on for another moment before he let it slip. He turned around and began walking off, obviously expecting us to follow. I shot a glance at Ross, who just looked at me back, his expression unreadable.

As the ginger tom led us to another slope of rock, I began to hear whispers all around me. Whispers that asked, "Who are they?" "What are they doing there?" "Knowing Firestar, he'll probably let 'em join the Clan in a second..." I pricked my ears at this and fought the urge to look in the direction of the last comment. Two things were just made clear to me.

One: This had to be Firestar. I don't know why I hadn't realized it the second I saw his pathetic, dignified pose, and the way that everyone else seemed to respect him.

Two: Apparently, he's let loners join his Clan before. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all.

Firestar-- or at least who I suspected to be Firestar-- led us up a steep pile of rock. I stumbled a bit as I followed after him, and Mourn nearly slipped and tumbled down. I held back a snicker.

The ginger tom waited for us at the top, and when I reached him, I had to turn and look back. I could see the whole camp from up here, and before such a large crowd, I felt... powerful. Was this what Dire always felt?

"Please come in," came the voice of the orange tom, and I turned, seeing him vanish into the small opening of a cave. I watched as Ross's amber eyes slowly narrowed, but he didn't say a word as he followed him in. I shot a glance at my brother before we followed.

It was dark inside, but surprisingly spacious. I spotted a bed of ferns and moss in the back, and I guessed that this was this cat's nest. He sat down, wrapping his tail around his paws, motioning for us to do the same.

I warily sat down, my ears pulled back slightly as I lowered my head, glancing at everyone in the space. Ross and Mourn sat down beside me; Mourn was fidgeting a bit, and Ross was stone still as he stared intently at this ThunderClan cat.

"My name is Firestar," the cat spoke once we had his attention. "I'm not sure how much my Clanmates have already told you, but this is ThunderClan. I'm their leader." I suddenly felt my heart begin to drum against my chest, and it took all I had to hide my inner emotions. I gulped and nodded my head slightly, though my tail flicked back in forth. I wanted to scream and yell at him right then, asking him if he knew that this place already had inhabitants. I wanted to pin to to the ground with my paw at his throat, snarling in his face, asking him... why? Somehow, Ross seemed to sense this, and he shot me a meaningful glance, his amber eyes narrowed just the tiniest bit.

"Firestar," the black and white tom murmured, bowing his head. "We're sorry we invaded your territory, we were unaware that it belonged to anyone. We're just loners."

The ThunderClan leader nodded, closing his green eyes for a moment. "I understand. You're not the only ones." He shifted his position slightly and re-opened his eyes, looking at each of us for a moment. "First, what are your names?"

"I'm Ray," replied Ross, "and this is Dusk and Sampson." I flicked an ear; he seemed to be taking the lead, and I guessed that all I could do was follow along.

Firestar nodded in acknowledgment and then tilted his head slightly as his green eyes drifted to our injuries.

"Those wounds," he murmured, blinking slowly. "How did you get those? Are you alright?"

"T-There was a fire," stuttered Mourn, speaking up for the first time in a while. He lowered his head slightly, as if suddenly embarrassed. I held back a sigh.

"We lived in a barn," I explained, quickly taking over. "It burned down recently. We got a few scars while trying to escape, and while we were traveling, we had a few other encounters... Rats, for one thing." I looked up at the ginger tom, who, after a moment, nodded his head.

"So you've been traveling for a long time," he said slowly, as if trying to lay his facts straight. I gave a weak nod. "Then you three should stay for a few days. Leafpool's our medicine cat; she can take care of you and tend to your wounds." Ross and I dipped our heads, as did Mourn after quickly catching on.

Firestar got to his paws, giving us a brief nod. "Let's go outside," he said. "My Clan must be wondering what's going on." He pushed past us and led the way back outside; once his back was turned to me, I rolled my eyes.

XRXAXYX

When I opened by eyes, a pale, pinkish sunlight greeted me. I grumbled something tiredly and shakily got to my paws. My joints were aching and my wounds, even though they were healing, still stung a bit. Trying to ignore it, I surveyed my surroundings; I was in a den, and for a brief moment alarm gripped onto me. Where was I? Where was everyone else?

But when I saw Mourn and Ross curled up nearby, everything came back. I was in the medicine cat den, but I couldn't quite remember what had happened, other than us arriving at ThunderClan. I squinted my eyes as I glanced outside; it was early morning. The sun's rays were already peaking through the trees, leaving a dim golden-red glow. A bit of mist hovered just above the hollow's ground, and in the distance, I heard a few chickadees call. It was so quiet; as far as I could see, no one was even outside yet. They were probably all still asleep in their lovely nests of feathers and moss, dreaming the day away. Idiots.

"Dusk?" A voice from behind me made me jump, and I whirled around, the fur on the back of my neck raising only slightly. A delicate, light brown tabby stood across from me, a bundle of herbs at her paws. Her head was tilted slightly, and her amber eyes blinked a few times. I tried to remember who it was...

"Leafpool," I murmured, reluctantly dipping my head as I relaxed. I parted my jaws into a huge yawn and tiredly asked, "What happened? I don't..."

The medicine cat gave a small chuckle. "You were exhausted last night, Dusk. After Firestar made the announcement that you and your friends are staying a while, you talked to a few others and got their names. Remember?" I blinked and nodded slowly; my memory was coming back to me. I remember talking to a few of the warriors; some of them were surprisingly friendly, but a few others looked as if they'd like nothing more than to rip my ears off right then. Which I personally thought was quite amusing.

Leafpool smiled. "After I put some remedies on your wounds, you fell fast asleep. You were exhausted." She tilted her head to the other side, a slightly confused look on her face. "Oh, and you yelled at Sampson over something. Something about him being stupid...? I didn't hear the whole thing, I was just coming back with some herbs." I smiled at this and chuckled a bit myself.

"That sounds like me," I murmured, glancing at the two sleeping toms nearby. I looked at Ross for a minute; I'd never actually seen him sleeping up close. He was curled up into a ball and his tail covered his face. I couldn't help but smile the slightest bit; he looked so... peaceful.

"How are they?" I asked, glancing up at the medicine cat, who had begun mixing up some sort of poultice.

"They'll be fine," she replied, not pausing to look at me. "Their wounds aren't anything serious. It's mainly fatigue." This is when she looked up, an expression of amusement on her face. "Which is exactly why you crashed and can barely remember a thing."

I faked a smile and nodded. "Thanks," I muttered. I was about to say something else, but I was immediately cut off by an ear-piercing shriek outside. I jumped at the sudden noise and immediately straightened up, my ears pricked.

"What's going on?" demanded Leafpool as she raced over to my side. I ran out of the den and into the sunlit clearing, where other cats were already beginning to gather. At first, I couldn't see what the matter was, but then I saw it-- other cats, emerging from the bramble entrance and into camp, where they stopped and looked down on us. For a brief moment, my blood froze, thinking that these cats were my band. Had Dire suddenly changed the plan and decided to attack _now?_

But, no-- I didn't recognize any of these cats. Was this... one of the other Clans? I quickly counted; there were about as many cats as there were in ThunderClan.

"ShadowClan," growled Leafpool softly as she ran up beside me. I flicked my ear and glanced at her, and, seeing my confusion, she said "One of the other Clans. Tensions have been high between us lately; they tell us that their Clan's food is running out, and that they need more territory to keep themselves alive." She paused to snort. "But we've seen them at gatherings-- the last thing they need is more food. They're just greedy."

"Firestar!" yowled the cat who had led in ShadowClan. He was a huge white tom with black paws, and his amber eyes blazed angrily as he lashed his tail and called the ginger tom's name. I heard a few low growls from the ThunderClan cats around me, and Daisy, a queen who had been outside, rushed her kits back into the nursery.

"What's going on?" a low voice growled in my ear. I glanced over to see Ross, who had finally emerged from the den with Mourn scampering quickly behind him.

"ShadowClan," was all I muttered before I saw Firestar appear from the rocky slope that led to his lair. His green eyes narrowed slightly, but he seemed calm as he briskly walked down the scarp. When he reached the bottom, he padded to the middle of the camp. The ShadowClan leader flicked his tail, signaling to his Clan to wait as he leaped down to the ground to meet the leader.

"Blackstar," Firestar stated, his tail flicking uneasily. All was quiet, and all eyes were on the two cats. "What do you want?"

"You know what I want," the large white tom growled, his amber eyes narrowing. "Your territory is bigger than ours, and prey here is plentiful. Cats back at my camp are _starving_ because prey is going scarce and you are not giving us any territory."

"Why would prey go scarce in the middle of Newleaf?" questioned Firestar calmly. "It seems a bit odd. Plus, by the looks of you and your warriors, you've got plenty to eat." I heard a few mumbles of agreement. "This is our territory, Blackstar," the leader continued, "and I am not going to give up any more of it to satisfy your greed."

"Idiot!" Blackstar roared. "One of our elders died today because she was so hungry!"

"Well obviously you shouldn't have hogged all of your prey to yourself, then, Blackstar," Firestar replied.

The ShadowClan leader narrowed his eyes to slits and took a small step backwards. "If you won't give us any of your territory," he snarled, his voice low, "then we'll have to take it from you." Then, before anything else could be said, he lifted his mighty head and shouted, "ShadowClan, attack!"

Everything around me immediately became a confusing blur. The rest of the ShadowClan cats leaped from the stony slope where they met with ThunderClan. Both groups clashed, and, with snarls and yowls filling the early morning air, the battle began.

And then, something occurred to me. _A battle like this is exactly what we need!_ I yelled in my mind. _We'll help ThunderClan win, and when they do, we'll be one step closer to earning their trust!_ Dire caught my eye, and we gave a small nod to each other, as if thinking the same thing.

Pulling my lips back, I leaped into the mass of fur and claws, ready to fight. In the midst of the crowd, I spotted a dark gray ThunderClan warrior (What was his name? Rainwhisker?) fending off two ShadowClanners. I lashed my tail and bounded over to help him, avoiding a few blows in the process.

I leaped on the smaller of the two, a brown tom who had been slashing out at Rainwhisker's face. I easily knocked the warrior to the ground, pinning him down onto his back with minimal effort. He just looked up at me, and he narrowed his eyes as he growled, "Who are you?"

"The name's Dusk," I growled back as I raised a paw and slashed it across his face. Drops of blood splashed onto the leafy ground, and he let out a hiss of pain. "Pleased to meet you." I raked my claws down the enemy's soft stomach, and though it wasn't hard enough to cause any fatal damage, it earned an ear-piercing cry of agony as he struggled to free himself. I stepped back and let him get up, sensing he would flee. And after dealing one last harsh blow to his right shoulder, the ShadowClanner turned and fled back up the stony slope, disappearing through the thorny entrance.

I turned around to see that Rainwhisker was still fighting off the other one, a larger, ginger male. His gray fur had a bit of blood on it, and I spotted a wound in his shoulder that looked quite deep and painful. Nonetheless, he kept fighting, his blue eyes flaring. I leaped over to help him, and, as I stood behind the unaware enemy, I slashed out my claws at his back and bit down as hard as I could into his tail. He yelped with surprise and whirled around, quickly dealing a blow to wherever he could reach. Claws slashed across my forehead, and I hissed as blood dripped into my eyes, blinding me for a moment. While the foe was preoccupied with me, Rainwhisker leaped at him from behind, knocking him roughly to the ground. The ShadowClan cat let out a strained snarl as my "partner" clawed the skin on his shoulder near his neck, and he dealt another blow to his chest. The ginger cat wriggled beneath Rainwhisker's grip until he managed to get to his paws and run off, disappearing into the huge mass of snarls and growls.

Rainwhisker raised his head and looked at me, and I returned his gaze silently. After a moment, he gave me a nod, though some emotion shot through his eyes that I couldn't quite detect. After another moment, he turned and vanished into the crowd, leaving me alone.

The battle didn't last for too long. After I chased off a ShadowClan apprentice, I paused to look around. By then, I'd received a few more wounds; a slash on my right shoulder and a few small scratches here and there, but nothing serious. _I hope that ShadowClan's cats are the worst fighters of all the Clans,_ I thought to myself as I panted, looking around for another foe to fight, _because this is pretty pathetic._

At that time, the stench of blood was growing stronger, and red stained the hollow's ground. Leafpool was at the edge of the camp, hastily treating those who had been badly hurt. But still, it looked as if we were actually winning. _All according to plan. _And then, a call sounded. It was Blackstar, who shoved himself through the cats to get to the front of the crowd. As he walked by, I noticed that he had quite a few bad injuries; of course, it could have just been the contrast of red against white.

"ShadowClan!" he yowled, attracting everyone's attention. The fighting ceased. "We will retreat for now!" A few victorious yowls were heard from ThunderClan's warriors, which resulted in a few hisses of disgust from the opposing cats. The ShadowClanners quickly gathered into a group behind their leader, who began to lead them back up the rocky slope. But not before sending one last glare at Firestar, his amber eyes narrowed.

"This isn't over, kittypet," he hissed before turning and quickly guiding his Clan out into the forest, until they were gone. I let loose a grin at the sight of their leaving before turning around, scanning the camp for Ross and Mourn. I found them nearby, but Firestar's call interrupted me.

"Cats of ThunderClan!" he shouted. He was bleeding in a few places, but he kept his dignity. "We fought well. All of those who are badly hurt, see Leafpool; everyone who needs it, get some rest. Then, I will set up hunting and border patrols as usual."

A few cats immediately dragged themselves to their dens, while a few others went to see the medicine cat. Some of the warriors-- Thornclaw, Brambleclaw, and Brackenfur, I believe their names were-- went back out into the territory to make sure that ShadowClan was truly gone. I was starting to make my way over to where Mourn and Ross were sitting, but from the corner of my eye, I saw a dark gray figure approaching me. I blinked my amber eyes and turned to see Rainwhisker briskly walk over to me.

I dipped my head, trying to be polite. "Rainwhisker, right?" I meowed, forcing a small smile. The tom halted when he reached me and gave a small nod.

"Dusk," he murmured, looking directly at me. "Right?"

I fought the urge to narrow my eyes; what was he up to? But I nodded and went along with it. "You fought well," I commented, grinning slightly.

"So," Rainwhisker said, taking a step closer. His blue eyes narrowed a bit. "I thought you were a loner. How did you learn to fight so well?" For a brief moment, I froze. He was already suspicious of me.

"My mother taught Sampson and I some fighting when we were young," I lied nonchalantly. "So we could fend for ourselves when we got older. She ended up dying from a sickness soon after, so I guess it's a good thing that we learned what we did when we did."

"Right," the gray tom muttered darkly. "It's convenient that you knew how to fight so you could leap right into a battle against cats you don't know, isn't it?" I opened my mouth, but no words came out. He caught me off-guard.

"I felt that I needed to help," I explained quickly, trying to act casual and calm. "This Clan helped me, Ray and Sampson and gave us a place to stay. I..." But the gray warrior had already turned and begun to stalk away, leaving me to stand alone and stare wordlessly after him.

**Ooh, Rainwhisker. So untrusting. xD I know he died in the actually series, but I totally forget how. xD I remember it was really lame though, like he just got randomly hit by a tree or something like that. Oh, well~ **

**Reviewers get angry Rainwhisker plushies! (goes great with your angry Birchpaw plushies!) xD I heart CC. :3**

**Till next time!**

**Pearly~**


	10. Chapter 10: Take Care

**Well... it may have taken a month (Seriously? A month?? The "last updated" date LIES.) but at least it came out a LITTLE sooner than it has been... . What can I say? Being a freshman is surprisingly hard~ *sighs***

**Okay, enough with my complaining and onto the review replies! ^-^**

**Warriors-Skywing: *fills your room with plushies* 8D Heehee. Thanks so much for reading! : D You rock ^-^**

**Macey-the-Invisible: HA Rainwhisker IS a meanie head! And you'll see MORE of him in this chapter! :D Thank ya for readin'! *huggles***

**Chat et Chocolat: Nice new name!!! xD Cat and chocolate? AWESOME 8D And yes, Rainwhisker, so suspicious~ xD Thanks for readin"!**

**cometdancer49: Awww, thankies!! Your comment means so much :'D *cries* Heehee. :3 Thanks for reading!! :D**

**Well, without further ado, folks, onto the story~ **

Chapter 10

_Take Care_

"How are you feeling?" came the soft voice from behind me. I jumped slightly, being caught in mid-thought. I turned to see Leafpool, busy making some kind of poultice with herbs. We were alone in the medicine den.

"Fine," I replied loosely, glancing down at the few scratches I had obtained from the battle two days before.

"You heal quickly," remarked the medicine cat, a hint of amusement in her delicate voice. I gave a small chuckle and faked a grin before turning back to where I was looking.

I was sitting by the entrance of the den, and right outside it was sprinkling lightly. There was a fresh, cool feel in the air, and though it wasn't raining hard, some were already beginning to find shelter. I closed by eyes, breathing in the scent of a clean drizzle.

I'd only been here for a few days, but already I felt as if I knew many of the Clans' secrets. Leafpool had told me about StarClan, the supposed Clan of spirits of cats who had died. They worshipped this Clan like a god, following its every word. Apparently, each halfmoon, the medicine cats of all four Clans go to the... (what was it called? The Moonpool?) to "communicate" with these spirits.

What a load of crap.

But what caught my attention was that every leader obtained _nine lives_ from StarClan. Meaning, they would have to go through nine different deaths (old age being an exception) before they're really gone. With that said, I immediately came to the conclusion that killing Firestar would be much harder than we had all originally planned... But, since Leafpool had gotten excited and kept on going and going with all this precious information, she let something slip. She was talking about how many months ago, some group of alley cats attacked, trying to take over. But this is where the interesting part came in-- Tigerstar, a cat born in ThunderClan until he was exiled and became the leader of ShadowClan, was the one that led these... well, _rogues_ into battle. But Tigerstar had apparently broken a promise to this leader of the rogues... Scourge. And so, Scourge killed him, ripping out all nine lives from his mangled body. And it only took one fatal blow to the stomach.

How interesting.

"I'm going to stretch my legs, if you don't mind," I murmured, trying to keep my voice as friendly as possible. Leafpool smiled; it was obvious it wouldn't take much to earn her trust.

"Go ahead. I think your friends are out there, too, talking to some of the warriors."

Bowing my head slightly, I got to my paws and walked out, the soft sprinkle greeting me. I closed my eyes and lifted my head to the sky, letting the mist-like rain fall on my skin. I blinked and from where I was, I could see the sun far-off in the sky, just emerging from the clouds. I flicked my tail and quickly scanned the clearing; Squirrelflight, the spitting image of her father, Firestar-- she even had the same green eyes-- was talking to Spiderleg, the long-limbed black tom. Despite everyone having two parts to their names, I found them relatively easy to remember.

Mourn and Ross were chatting with Sandstorm and Cloudtail, that one white tom who apparently was the nephew of Firestar. I've even heard rumors they were both _house _cats who joined the Clan with little knowledge of how to survive.

And look how far they've come.

_Good,_ I thought as I made my way over to the little group, placing a wide grin on my face. _Conversation with them is good._

"Hi," I greeted cheerfully, taking a seat next to my brother, who smiled at me.

"Hey, Dusk," purred Sandstorm kindly as Cloudtail gave me a small nod.

"You like the rain, too, huh?" mewed the tom, looking up at the clouds. "Although it's more like mist, now." I smiled slightly and dipped my head in agreement.

"We were just telling Sampson and Ray about ShadowClan," Sandstorm murmured, a frown creasing over her face. "You remember them from a few days ago, right?"

"Of course," I replied in a low voice. "They just... barged in."

"They claim they're starving," Cloudtail cut in, narrowing his eyes. "But we've seen them at Gatherings. I bet that they even have more food than the other Clans!"

"Oh, right, aren't there four Clans in all?" I asked, tilting my head. "What are the others called?" I kept my voice light and curious as I darted my gaze from him to Sandstorm.

"WindClan and RiverClan are the others," explained Sandstorm. "We border WindClan; they live on the moors. RiverClan borders them and ShadowClan; they live in this marshy area."

"Hmm," I said thoughtfully, before getting to my paws. I flashed the cats an apologetic smile; "I'll be right back," I mewed. "Call of nature." I grinned slightly before making my way up the stone walls and slipping through the thorn barrier. And once I was alone, I let loose a sneer as I glared back over my shoulder into the direction of the camp.

There was a different feeling out in the forest, now that I was alone. There was barely a noise, only the very soft splatters of raindrops and the occasional rustle of the bushes. Everything felt fresh and new. I walked a bit deeper into the woods, letting loose a sigh as I closed my eyes and letting my paws guide me over the dirt and leaf-covered ground. Which obviously wasn't a good idea, because a few moments later, I ended up tripping over a large root.

"Tsk," I hissed after landing in a small puddle of mud. Muttering something under my breath, I got back to my paws, vexingly shaking my dark pelt the best I could.

It was then that I heard a soft whimper. I pricked my ears and started looking around, alert. But when I didn't hear it again, I gave a small chuckle. "I must be going crazy," I murmured. "All this missions stuff must be affecting my mind." I smirked slightly, but then froze when I heard it again, a bit louder this time. It was definitely... a cat.

"Hello?" I called, pausing, listening for it again.

"...Help..."

The fur on the back of my neck began to rise as I hesitantly began following into the direction of the plea. The voice sounded weak, and I could tell that someone around here was in pain. After pushing my way through several clumps of bracken, I saw him. A golden-brown tabby tom was laying sprawled out on the ground, his amber eyes dull and half-closed with pain.

"Thornclaw?" I meowed in surprise. "What..." Then, I saw it. He was laying on his side, and fastened around his two front legs was some sort of metal clamp. It held firmly onto him, digging into the skin near the top of his arms, by his chest. Blood was running from where it was, and already some of it had dried and was crusted around in his fur.

"What the hell?" I breathed, moving forward to get a better look at it. "What...?"

"It's a fox trap," Thornclaw replied, his teeth clenched together in pain, and then he let out a small, strained yowl as an apparent throb surged through him. "I was hunting... and I sprang out at a mouse... But I landed in this trap; I-I didn't see it because it was covered in leaves... That's how it caught both my le--" He broke off into another yelp, louder this time, and he clamped his eyes shut as if that would make everything go away. In the back of my mind, I was rolling my eyes, but if we were to be accepted into this Clan, I'd have to help him.

"Hold on," I murmured, leaning over him as I inspected the trap. I could see that it was pretty deep in his skin, and I cringed just slightly, thinking of the pain he must be in. And it surprised me that I even took that into consideration. "I'll get you out."

There were two metal parts that clashed together-- _Alright,_ I thought as I put a paw on each piece. _I just have to pry them apart..._ I gave it every bit of strength I had; I began heaving them apart, mashing my teeth together in the process. I let out a grunt of strain until finally I could see the metal separate. It was only a little bit at first, and I had to be careful not to close it on myself. I kept prying them away from each other until there was enough room that the warrior could free himself.

"Move your arms!" I hissed as I fought to keep the trap open. "I only have two paws!" Thornclaw gave a stiff, pained nod and brought his front legs out of the trap with quite a bit of effort. He let them collapse on the ground as he lay there, panting.

Cautiously, I let go of the trap, causing it to re-close with a loud snap. Breathless, I backed up and looked over at the tom. His arms looked to be in pretty bad condition.

"Can I look at your wounds?" I asked; I hadn't much medical knowledge, but I at least knew the very basics. He gave a silent nod and I padded over to him, leaning over to get a better look. I winced; where the clamp was was now dark red and glistening with his blood. I brought one paw up and carefully lifted one of his arms; he let out an involuntary growl as I examined beneath his front left leg.

"You're losing blood quickly," I commented, meeting his gaze before setting his arm back down and taking a small step back. "If you continue to just lie out here, you might pass out. I have to bring you to Leafpool." I paused to glance up at the sky; in all the action, I had forgotten that it was even still raining. But it was sprinkling even less now, and far-off, the sun was now completely emerged from the clouds.

Then, a rustle in the undergrowth. I whirled around, my back to Thornclaw as I watched a dark gray tom appear-- Rainwhisker. _Tsk,_ I thought with irritation. _It has to be _him.

The warrior looked at me and raised an eyebrow. "What are you..." Then, suddenly, he noticed Thornclaw behind me, laying in a bloodied heap. Rainwhisker's eyes grew wide and I glanced down at my paws, noticing that they were coated with Thornclaw's blood from when I was examining his wounds. I flicked my tail in exasperation; this would send Rainwhisker off in just a _train_ of imagination.

"What did you do!?" demanded the gray tom, narrowing his eyes as his fur began to rise. "Did you--"

"Calm down," I meowed quickly, trying to hide the annoyance in my voice. "I didn't do this. His front legs got caught in a fox trap. It's right _there."_ I flicked my tail over to the metal clamp; Rainwhisker's fur fell flat, though he still didn't seem convinced.

"It's true," rasped Thornclaw, his eyes closed. "Dusk helped me from the trap."

Finally, after a few more moments of waiting, Rainwhisker nodded.

"Fine," he muttered, "I believe you."

"Good," I replied quickly. "Now help me get him to Leafpool." With a bit of effort, the two of us managed to hang Thornclaw over our backs, his legs sprawled out on either side.

And as we made our way back to camp in the thinning rain, Rainwhisker whispered in my ear, "I believe you, but I still don't trust you." I flicked my ear; _God, what an idiot,_ I thought, but swallowed back a retort.

"I'm sorry to hear that," I murmured quietly. "But I can't blame you. I know I haven't been here too long, and I'm basically a stranger to you... but I want to help you." He didn't say anything more.

xTxRxUxSxTx

"He's asleep now," Leafpool told me and Rainwhisker as we sat in her den. There had been many curious cats who wanted to poke their noses in to see what was going on, but the medicine cat had quickly shooed them out. Now, Thornclaw lay in a soft bed of moss, his front legs covered in herbs. "It was lucky that you found him so soon, Dusk," she told me as she replaced the tom's bloodied cobwebs with fresh ones. "He must have been losing blood quickly.

I nodded. "I heard him call for help," I explained in a low voice. "I'm just glad that I was able to hear him." Rainwhisker stood a few feet away from me, saying nothing.

"You two can go," the medicine cat said as she began mixing up another poultice. "Thank you for bringing him to me."

I gave another nod and focused my gaze on Thornclaw. And at that moment, a brief wave of warmth came over me.

"Take care," I whispered before turning and stepping out to meet the sunlight.

**Hmm... a little fillerish, maybe? . It was important, though :D Wait till you see what happens when... *shuts mouth* ;D**

**Reviewers get a Thornclaw plushie-- asleep in a little bed of moss ^-^ CC is my love 3**

**Till next time!**

**Pearly~**


	11. Chapter 11: Of Warriors and Smiles

**Oh ma golly! Only a week between updates!? I'm on a **_**roll! **_** :D**

**Review Replies:**

**Revriley: Heehee, don't worry, there will be much more Longtail and Cloudtail! ^-^ (I luffles them, too. They're the coolest) ^-^ Lawl, Rainwhisker, I actually love 'im xD Too bad he randomly died from... whatever he randomly died from. :D Thankies for readin'! *glomps***

**LegendaryHero: MERCI beaucoup (that's 'thank you very much' in French... I'm a French freak. Even though my French sucks. But that's okay. :D ) for bringing that up :D Up until your comment, I had **_**completely**_** forgot to specify when this story takes place. How dumb am I?? xD *shot* This takes place during the beginning of Sunset. Thus, Graystripe hasn't left yet and is still deputy, Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf haven't been born yet, Rainwhisker is still alive, ect. If you want to see the full list of all the cats currently in ThunderClan, you can check the Warriors wiki-- just search "Sunset Allegiances." ^-^ Hope that cleared things up! Thanks for reading!! :D**

**Macey-the-Invisible: I LUFF huggles :D *huggles you again* :3 And I dun wanna give anything away, but-- there will be more Nightfall/Ross/Thornclaw stuffs. :3 MERCI for reading! :D**

**Warriors-Skywing: Go SKYWING! xD Heehee. Thanks for reading! :3**

**Tiiiime for teh story! :D**

Chapter 11

_Of Warriors and Smiles_

The days passed even quicker than I had expected. The sun would rise, the sun would set. The moon would rise, the moon would set. And then it would happen all over again. Despite myself, I was growing quite comfortable in this Clan; I couldn't deny that there really was this sort of homey feeling.

A week passed since I found Thornclaw in the trap. Leafpool told me that he was healing quickly, but he still wouldn't be able to return to his normal warrior duties for a bit longer. When I asked her if he'd be able to walk the same away again, she assured me with a smile, telling me, "Of course. He just needs time to heal."

And one day, it was almost as if she'd read my mind. I was thinking things over, sitting in her den as I did most of the time. Thinking of our place here... Why was it that they were even letting us stay? It was because we were hurt and tired. Because we fled from a burning barn, managing to just escape with our lives. Yes, we were Dusk, Ray, and Sampson. Just a bunch of lonely, helpless cats.

But how long would that mask remain over us? How quickly was it slipping...?

"Your wounds seem to be all better," the medicine cat murmured to the three of us as we sat huddled around a rabbit. We looked up silently, and she gave us no time to reply before she continued. "I've been talking to my father, and..." She paused to gave a tiny sigh, "he wants to discuss your place here. There is no doubt that you've helped us out a great deal-- in both the battle with ShadowClan and with finding Thornclaw." She smiled slightly. "And I don't think I've seen Longtail and so talkative in ages." I couldn't help but grin at this-- ever since I came here, I'd always found that blind old elder amusing. Not quite as amusing as Mousefur, though-- there was something I admired about her, being so feisty at such an age. And Goldenflower, the other elder... She only reminded me too much of Lea. A pang shot through me, images of all the ones we left behind flashing through my mind. And Lilac...

"I've enjoyed your company, too," Leafpool added lightly, averting me from my depressing thoughts. "Anyway, Graystripe, Sandstorm, and Firestar were talking about it a lot last night... My mother told me about it." _Right,_ I thought. _Sandstorm is Firestar's mate, and Leafpool and Squirrelflight's mother. All of these family connections are annoyingly hard to remember._

"They were thinking of letting you stay here," the brown tabby murmured. "Maybe for good." The three of us pricked our ears-- this was music in _our_ minds. Would they really just let us stay, and that was that? Was it really this easy?

"For good?" Ross asked, slowly getting to his paws. "Really?"

"We wouldn't want to be a burden," I added quickly, standing up beside the black and white tom. Mourn, after a moment, got the hint and sheepishly stood up, too.

"Actually," Leafpool said, smiling a bit, "they were thinking that you could train to be warriors. A real part of ThunderClan." She paused, biting her lip. "Of course, you'll have to talk more about it to Firestar. I can't read his thoughts exactly." She gave us a grin, though it was droopy with apparent weariness. It occurred to me that she'd been watching not only the three of us, but Thornclaw, too, for some time now.

We bowed our heads gratefully and I turned to look out at the darkening camp, a smile forming on my lips.

xLxExAxFxPxOxOxLx

I woke up the next morning with quite a start, and I leaped to my paws, feeling my heart pound against my chest. I breathed out a sigh of relief, realizing that my fear had only come from a dream.

But as I began grooming my ruffled black fur, I froze. I had had that dream before. Yes, it was during the night where me, Mourn and Ross stayed in that clearing nearby after making our journey from the torched forest. I had forgotten all about that dream until now... It was the one where it was pouring rain and there was stone beneath my paws. The one where I could barely hear or see anything until I had collapsed. But this one... This one was different. It was more clear. And this time...

...there was blood everywhere.

I stiffened and glanced around, feeling slightly wary. But after a few moments, I chuckled at my stupidity; it was only a dream. Nothing but a dream.

"Nightfall?" yawned Mourn as he got to opened his eyes sleepily. "What're you doing up alright? You--"

My fur bristled and I glanced at Leafpool and Thornclaw-- thank God they were still asleep.

"Idiot," I hissed under my breath. "That's not my _name..."_ Mourn's eyes widened and he flattened his ears in obvious guilt and embarrassment.

"Dusk!" he breathed as he stretched, getting to his paws. A discontented frown was now on his face. "Sorry! I--"

"It's alright, _Sampson,"_ I replied, smiling a bit too sweetly. My brother sighed and sat down; his amber eyes were half-closed as he groomed his fur. He seemed deep in thought.

"Do you miss Badger?" I asked quietly. He hadn't even mentioned her since they said goodbye. Mourn paused and glanced up at me, his eyes shining with emotion. He opened his mouth, but no words came out; instead, he just gave a meek nod.

"Hey," I murmured, inching closer to him. "You'll see her again really soon. Don't worry. You and her--" I broke off when I heard Ross rustling in his nest, and I looked over to see him finally wake up. I smiled slightly, but quickly brushed it off as he sent us two a glare. I suppressed a sigh as I watched him get to his paws-- had I _ever_ seen him smile? Even a slight variation of his one facial expression would be nice.

"Ray? Sampson? Dusk?" I pricked my ears and looked up, seeing the tall figure of Firestar at the entrance of the den. His ginger pelt was already neat and tidied, and as he stood against the incoming sun, his fur ruffling, he really did look like something of power. We got to our paws and dipped out heads before he continued.

"I'd like to talk with you all in my den," he said, and then looked past us to see Leafpool and Thornclaw fast asleep. "How is he doing?" he murmured, a bit of worry flickering through his voice.

"He'll be fine," I replied, glancing over my shoulder at the golden-brown tom. He looked sort of like a cute kitten, all snuggled up in that bed of moss. "Leafpool said that he needs more time to heal, but he'll be alright."

The leader nodded, saying nothing for a moment before he looked back at us. "Please follow me, then."

It was a beautiful and warm spring morning. Birds chirped, the air tasted fresh, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. As we strode through the clearing, I smiled to a few cats as they awoke and emerged from their dens. They hesitantly smiled back.

Cloudtail was sitting with his mate, Brightheart-- they had both taken the night to stand guard, and the fluffy white tom's head was now leaned against the she-cat's shoulder, fast asleep. Mourn caught sight of them as well, and I saw something flash through his expression; there was no doubt that they reminded him of Badger.

After climbing up the rocky slope, we padded into Firestar's den, where we all sat down. I still felt somewhat uncomfortable in this spacious, hollow den-- I felt as if if it were _my_ den, I wouldn't feel too protected.

The ginger tom looked over us for a moment before finally speaking. "I have been talking about it with Graystripe and Sandstorm," he said. "and we have discussed letting you three become permanent members of the Clan. We have seen your strength, and there is no doubt that you would be honorable warriors if you were to join." He paused, as if letting it sink in, before he went on. "Of course, this is your decision. But know that if you refuse, we cannot let you stay here much longer. You are all rested up from your fleeing from the barn, and if you choose to only be guests here, then we will have to send you off very soon. If you _do_ choose to join us, however..." He wrapped his tail around his paws and smiled slightly. "Then you'll learn the ways of our Clan and will be able to call this place home. You will become warriors and have cats who will protect you day and night. We'll understand if you want to be on your ways, but this is an opportunity that I think shouldn't be wasted."

"Would it really be alright?" I asked softly, acting concerned. "I mean, we're just loners... And I'm not quite sure if everyone trusts us, and--"

"I'll have you know that I was a kittypet before I came here," he answered gently. "Cloudtail was as well. Daisy was a loner, and I had a great friend from long ago who came from ShadowClan..." His green eyes glazed over, as if he were suddenly caught up in memories. I could tell that whoever that cat was, Firestar had cared deeply for them.

"If that's the case," murmured Ross, bowing his head, "then we'll gladly accept. We thank you, Firestar."

The ginger tom smiled and got to his paws. "I'm glad to hear it. Now all that is left to do is to announce it to the Clan and give you your new warrior names." _Great,_ I thought sarcastically, though a large part of me was actually quite amused. _Right when I was getting used to 'Dusk.'_

Firestar led us out of his den, stopping us at the top of the rocky slope. I looked down at the hollow, feeling the morning wind buffet against my pelt. I closed my eyes and breathed in the fresh air.

Then, the ThunderClan leader stepped forward and lifted his head, calling "All cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Slowly, the Clan began to merge in the center of the camp as one. Some cats were still just waking up, and seemed quite cranky from their awakening. I noticed that Graystripe sat down respectfully at the bottom of the ledge, and the shorter cats tried to find places where they could see. The elders remained in the back, and the queens just emerged from their dens to watch. A few tiny kits looked on with wide eyes.

Once Firestar was confident that he had gotten everyone's attention, he began. "Sampson, Dusk, and Ray came to our Clan about a quarter moon ago. They were loners who had gotten injured from escaping their burning barn and from fighting a pack of rats. Leafpool has taken good care of them." He sent a meaningful glance down at his daughter, who smiled softly back. "They helped us win the battle against ShadowClan, and they have gotten along very well with the rest of you. It is my pleasure to welcome these three into ThunderClan as permanent members."

The cats all over camp began to break out into soft mumblings as they talked amongst themselves. Some of them seemed excited by this decision, and some seemed quite unsure, and a few-- Rainwhisker, obviously, included-- were not at _all_ happy. I swallowed.

"They will learn the ways of our Clan," Firestar raised his voice over the crowd, "and became honorable warriors of ThunderClan. I will now give them their Clan names." Everyone went quiet as they looked up expectantly. Firestar cleared his throat before meowing, "Sampson." My brother pricked his ears and quickly turned to the ginger cat, his amber eyes wide with excitement. "From this day on, you shall be known as Snowclaw. Ray... You shall be known as Darkwhisker. And Dusk..." My whiskers twitched with anticipation, possible names running through my head. "...You shall be known as Duskfeather. May StarClan guide your paths as you learn our ways."

Then, everything was quiet; birdsongs rang in my ears again, and I waited for someone to do something. _Anything._ I hate awkward situations.

Then, a small she-cat (Her name was Whitepaw, right?) lifted her head and cheered, "Snowclaw, Darkwhisker, Duskfeather!" She shouted the names again, and this time, a few others joined in-- yes, there was Sandstorm, Leafpool, Squirrelflight, Longtail, all of the queens... And then Spiderleg. Brightheart, Cloudtail. More and more cats joined in the cheer-- I even heard Thornclaw contribute from where he lay in his den, which made me laugh a little.

We were gaining their trust, and Firestar believing in us so much that he let us join us Clan was convincing the others, too. Of course, there were some that we'd need to work on; I looked over at the small group of cats who weren't cheering-- Ashfur, Rainwhisker, and Birchpaw-- but I told myself that we would get to them. _It may take a while,_ I thought, _but they'll soon trust us as if we were born here._

As the cats' cheers still rang through the clearing, I looked over at Ross, and he looked back. And then, for the first time in my life, I saw him _smile._ It wasn't a big smile, and it was clear that he didn't put much effort into it, but still... It was a smile.

And I smiled back.

**Holy moley. Ross actually **_**smiled?**_** Uuuhh.. Paradox tiem? xD**

**Humdum, what kind of plushie should I give away this time...? *thinks* How about a combo-- Cloudtail and Brightheart, their tails intertwined! :3 (goes great with your Mourn&Badger plushie! xD )**

**Please review! CC is my love!**

**Till next time~**

**Pearly!**


	12. Chapter 12: Midday Gossip

**Hello, everyoooone! *plays the fiddle and hops from foot to foot* Err, sorry 'bout that. I've been eating chocolate. Heh. Heh heh heeeh. :3 And whoo, I updated in just a lil' bit more than a week! I'm doing so much better than I was, back when I updated about every month :'D**

**Review Replies:**

**Revriley: Thou art very welcome! ^-^ In fact, there's a bit o' Longtail and Cloudtail in this chappie 8D Ahh, I thought that Rainwhisker died from a tree! And it was in between books, too, so we didn't even see it happen. Talk about anti-climactic! D': Poor guy. And yee, I lurves Mourn~ x3 He's definitely one o' my favs, too 8D Enjoy! *huggles and then begins to dance***

**Chat et Chocolat: Oh, that rascal, Rainwhisker xD Hohum, you're on to something, though x3 Keep readin'! :3 As for the Mousefur and Longtail line, I didn't really mean to add in Mousefur in the first place, but you're right, it might be a lil' confusing xD And yay, the powerful force of siblings! :D And oh, lawl, family connections~ I can never remember them, either xD And yuppers, Ross smiled! ...Or maybe it was just an illusion. That would make sense, too. xD ENJOY :'D *huggles***

**LegendaryHero: You are totally right D: It's been forever since I've read these books, my memory ain't the greatest xD I tried to bandage that lil' plot hole in this chapter, hopefully it'll be enough xD Thankies for reading! :D Enjoy~**

**Macey-the-Invisible: Like Yoda you speak, and like Yoda I speak as well. Huggles I give you. *gives her an INFINITE AMOUNT OF HUGGLES* Owned~ :D As for teh kitteh in ShadowClan, well, you'll find out later, if you don't figure it out before then :D **

**Katie Ladmoore: Thanks for reading! :'D And lawl, I fail at Spanish. Let's see, I can say Hola, Gracias, De Nada, Hasta la Vista, FELIZE NAVIDAD! That's about it. And I probably spelled all those wrong. xDD Anyway, thanks again for reading, and enjoy! :D**

**Warriors-Skywing: Or maybe Nightfall's getting a little sick to the head. xDD Heehee. Thanks for readin'! :3**

**silverstarfan: Thankies! :3 And you shall see, muwahaha~ :3**

**Okie doke, time for the chapter! Wheee! *flies away, where she waits for you at the end of the chapter* :D**

Chapter 12

_Midday Gossip_

"...It was a _rabbit,"_ Longtail said, a look of frustrated disbelief on his face. "I retire as a warrior early because of a stupid _rabbit_."

Mourn frowned and tilted his head, utterly confused. "Um... L-Longtail, I don't exactly see how--"

"There I was, out in the forest, hunting as usual. And there! A perfectly plump rabbit. You know what I thought to myself? I thought, 'It's pretty uncommon that rabbits venture so far into the forest. Usually WindClan gets 'em all!' So I crouched down, stalked the thing, and then, right as I was just about to strike the killing blow, it whirled around and clawed at my eyes! And you wouldn't think that it would hurt, but it did. And it _blinded_ me, which is why I had to retire so young!" He sighed and shook his head, looking completely defeated. "Isn't that just the biggest heap of mousedung you've ever heard...?"

I raised an eyebrow, glancing beside me at Ross. He flicked an ear and purposefully avoided my gaze; I guess that smile of his was a once-in-a-few-years kind of thing.

Mourn, on the other hand, looked completely devastated by Longtail's story. He flattened his ears and murmured, "That's terrible! I'd hate to have to retire so young... I'm sorry..." Longtail heaved out a breath of air and sat up, stretching after lying down for so long.

"It's all in the past, now," he meowed. "Besides, I'd be here now anyway, even if that rabbit hadn't come along." He parted his jaws into a tired yawn.

It was midday, and a balmy one at that; summer was approaching quickly, and I could tell that it'd be a hot one. We'd only been warriors a few days now, but the others were warming up to us quickly. Leaving out Rainwhisker, Ashfur, and Birchpaw, of course. But even they hadn't given us too much trouble-- whatever they wanted to say, they kept their mouths shut.

"I wonder how Thornclaw is?" sighed Longtail as he lifted his pale tabby head to the sky. I looked at him; it was as if he had just read my mind. I found myself worrying about the warrior often-- was it just because I, myself, had saved him?

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Ross replied in his usual strong, hard voice, but I could tell that he was making an effort to sound more reassuring. "Leafpool said he just needs a bit more time to heal."

"Ha," murmured Mousefur, who was sitting beside the elderly tom. "I bet he got himself caught in that trap on purpose so he could take a break from his warrior duties!" Her whiskers twitched. "Or so he wouldn't have to change our bedding. If he's bored with Longtail's stories, he ought to just say somethin'!" Longtail sent her a blind glare.

"Hello," came a kind voice, and I looked over my shoulder to see Brightheart, Cloudtail standing beside her. I had to admit, whenever I caught a glimpse of the she-cat's deformed face, I cringed a bit.

The couple sat down beside us; Brightheart was grinning widely, and the white tom just gave us all a small greeting smile.

"Hi!" piped Mourn, apparently excited by their appearance. He was making friends with the others quickly, and he seemed quite eager to do so, too. I often thought about him, here... in this place. On the day that the three of us were chosen for this mission, I had asked Mourn if he could believe that Dire picked _us._ And he had replied, "No. I never really thought that Dire liked me." I can still remember it, clear as day. And for a while, I thought about it. It was true, our leader _never_ showed any interest in my brother, nor was it clear that he had any confidence in him at _all._ So why did he pick Mourn? Did he really expect him to go through the mission with his eyes closed and kill so many of these cats without a care, a regret? Already I could tell that when the time was to come, he would feel conflicted. And that would be a problem.

Maybe Dire _knew_ this would happen. Maybe this was more or less a kind of test, to see if Mourn was really worthy and loyal. But the purpose of this mission is much too big to let it go to waste because of a tom's torn heart. No, Dire would need to be _sure_ that the cats he picked wouldn't let him down. I glanced over at my brother; maybe he wasn't who I had assumed. Maybe him being so friendly with all these cats really _was_ just an act, and killing Firestar and Graystripe would be easy for him.

Well, time would tell.

"Beautiful day!" exclaimed Brightheart cheerfully, closing her eyes and lifting her head to the sky, a pleasant smile on her face. Cloudtail purred and twined his tail with hers, leaning over to lick her cheek.

"Sure is," I murmured, wrapping my tail around my paws. I grinned "And I think I'm finally used to my new name!" The white and ginger she-cat smiled over at me, her one green eye glowing warmly.

"My name was Lostface once," she said quietly, abruptly becoming more somber. Her eye glazed over, as if suddenly reminded of something sad. "But before that, I was Brightpaw. Me and my friend, Swiftpaw, we... We got in a fight with a pack of dogs."

"Dogs?" echoed Mourn uneasily. "What happened?"

Brightheart gave a small, sad smile before continuing. "Cloudtail became an apprentice before Swiftpaw and I... He was jealous. I tried to comfort him, but he wanted to do something so great that he would be made a warrior in no time. I was a bit skeptical at first, but I grew to love the idea, too. I mean, don't all apprentices want to hurry up and become warriors?" She paused, looking down at her paws. "...So we-- Swiftpaw and I-- decided to drive out a dog pack that had been brought into the forest by..." She swallowed hard, looking uncomfortable. "Tigerstar." There it was, that name again... _Tigerstar._ The one who led BloodClan against the four Clans. Sure sounds like a pleasant fellow.

"We couldn't do it," sighed Brightheart, shaking her head softly. "There were too many of them, and they were too strong. Swiftpaw, he... He died. And I lost my eye and most of my ear. I lived in the end, but Bluestar, our old leader, gave me the name Lostface." _Lostface?_ I thought, my whiskers twitching. _Are you kidding me? What kind of a leader would name their warrior _Lostface?

"Cloudtail was worried about me," she continued, casting a tiny smile over at her mate. "Naturally, Brackenfur and Thornclaw were too, being my brothers." I pricked my ears; this was news to me. I know I already mentioned this, but man, these family ties are _really_ hard to remember.

"Cinderpelt was my sister," Brightheart sighed. "She was the medicine cat, and Leafpool back then was still an apprentice. My sister... she nursed me back to health."

"What happened to her?" Mourn asked quietly. I watched as Mousefur and Longtal bowed their heads, and Cloudtail press closer against his mate. By now, Brightheart looked practically overwhelmed with grief, so the white tom said it for her.

"Badgers killed her." There was an uncomfortable and awkward silence for a few moments, before Ross finally broke it.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, speaking for the first time in a while. Brightheart smiled softly and nodded.

"It's all behind us, now."

A new cat's scent came over me, and I looked over my shoulder to see Graystripe approaching us. He gave us all a friendly smile before meowing, "I'm going on a quick patrol, just by the Twoleg path. There's already a main patrol out checking the borders, but Firestar has requested that I see out how much Twoleg activity there's been recently."

"I'll come, Graystripe," offered Ross as he got to his paws.

The deputy nodded with gratitude. "Thank you, Darkwhisker."

"I'll go too!" chirped Brightheart, smiling up at the gray tom. Graystripe smiled back, but shook his head.

"You stay here and enjoy the day with Cloudtail," he said. "I really only need one cat with me now, anyway. Take it easy." Brightheart blinked but shrugged and grinned, "If you say so."

"We'll be back soon," the deputy purred, and I watched as he walked up the stony slope and disappeared into the woods, Ross at his side.

"Did you know that Graystripe was almost taken away by Twolegs?" Brightheart murmured; she sure loved to talk.

"Really?" I said, tilting my head. "_Almost?"_

"We were caught in Twoleg cages," Cloudtail explained. "Me, Brightheart, Leafpool, and some cats from other Clans. There was Mistyfoot, the deputy of RiverClan, and Gorsetail, a warrior of WindClan. There were also a few rogues and kittypets." He smiled. "Graystripe helped us all escape, and only just managed to get away himself. Had he been there a second longer, he would have been whisked off in a Twoleg monster-- and who knows where he'd be now?"

"Who knows," I murmured quietly, watching where the deputy and Ross had just left.

xBxRxIxGxHxTx

"How are you feeling?" I asked, sitting beside the golden-brown warrior. Thornclaw smiled up at me, his eyes closed.

"Better. Leafpool says I'm healing faster than she'd thought." I couldn't help but breathe out a sigh of relief.

"That's good," I murmured, laying down. The medicine cat was in the back of the den, doing whatever she was doing with her herbs. She had barely noticed when I walked in; I guess she was used to having me visit, by now.

"How's it going with _you?"_ Thornclaw asked, adjusting his position. He lay his head on his paws tiredly, opening one amber eye to look at me. "Getting used to Clan life yet?"

I smiled a bit and shrugged. "I guess so. I have to admit, I was pretty intimidated at first. I was afraid no one would accept us." The second part was certainly true. "But, now I'm starting to make friends, and it's great.

Thornclaw smiled kindly and let his tail rest on my shoulder; I looked at him, slightly surprised by the sudden act of affection. But after a moment, I smiled back.

A shadow cast over us, and I lifted my head to see Ross entering the den. He paused to look at the two of us, narrowing his eyes just the slightest bit. I flicked an ear and got to my paws.

"Back from the patrol?" I meowed. "How was it? Did you see any hu... Er, Twolegs?"

The black and white tom rigidly shook his head as he sat down. "No. But their scents were there; they were in this forest recently. Maybe a day or two ago."

"Where's Graystripe?" yawned Thornclaw as he sat up, careful not to put much pressure on his front legs. "He came back with you, right?"

Ross flicked an ear and then said, "No. He said he was going to meet up with the main patrol." I narrowed my eyes a bit; Ross went on a patrol with Graystripe, but the latter didn't come back. Why wouldn't the deputy bring Ross _with _him? What was going on? Maybe it wasn't Graystripe's intention to meet up with the main patrol in the first place?

Leafpool had overheard the conversation, and so she padded over to join us. She tilted her head and asked, "So he let you come back here, and that was that?"

Ross nodded, a puzzled expression on his own face. "Yes."

I exchanged a glance with Thornclaw, and just as he was opening his mouth to say something, a shriek was heard.

"_Help!" _My ears shot up and I leaped to my paws, along with Ross and Leafpool. _What's going on now!?_

The three of us raced out of the den; the Clan was beginning to gather, everyone having heard the yell. Cats were talking frantically, wondering what was going on. Then, at the top of the hollow, I saw them-- Sandstorm, Brackenfur, Whitepaw, and Dustpelt-- the main patrol. I spotted Whitepaw huddling close to her mentor, Brackenfur, her ears flat against her head; was it her that had yelled?

Firestar immediately emerged from his den, quickly leaping down the rocks. The patrol did the same, and they met in the center of the clearing.

"What's wrong?" the leader demanded, looking over each of his cats quickly to make sure they weren't hurt. "Are you all okay?"

"It's Graystripe," Sandstorm breathed, her green eyes wide. I even saw her legs shake a little. "We were patrolling the ShadowClan border and we found him on the ground. We thought he was hurt, so we ran over to him." The she-cat was now trembling wildly; I had never seen her this weak.

She continued. "Graystripe's _dead, _Firestar," she rasped anxiously. "And not only that, but he was _killed."_

**Heehee, if you thought that this would be a nice, relaxing lil' chapter, then you thought wrong :D Oooh snap. Byebye, Graygray, nice knowin' ya D: Hohum, who could have done this? Ross, or someone else? Well, I ain't tellin' ya :D Not yet, anyway :3**

***Thinks* ...Which plushie to give? Already I've given... *counts* Nightfall plushie, Mourn plushie, Sapphire plushie, Ross plushie, Mourn/Badger plushie, angry Birchpaw plushie, angry Rainwhisker plushie, sleepy Thornclaw plushie, and a Cloudtail/Brightheart plushie. *pants* Hmm, alright-- reviewers will get a Leafpool plushie! Because, well, why not? xDDD **

**Please review! I love CC, too! ^-^**

**Till next time!**

**~Pearly**


	13. Chapter 13: Beneath the Moonlight

**Hai, guys~! 8D Ready for Chapitre Treize? (Chapter 13... In French... xD Lawl at probable misspelling of Treize.) Snap... 13's an unlucky number~ D:**

**Review Replies:**

**Katie Ladmoore: Well, I'm excited that you're excited! ^_^ Thanks for reading! And yush, Ross is awesome~ x:D Enjoy!**

**Chat et Chocolat: *pulls a rope and a huge amount of plushies bury you* 8D Yepyep, Graygray's dead~ D: But who knows what'll happen because of that? (I do! xD) As for the names, you only need to focus on Mourn, Ross, and Nightfall. They all had those names while they were with their rogue band, but changed their names to Sampson (Mourn), Ray (Ross), and Dusk (Nightfall). But when they became full members of the Clan, they were given Clan names; Snowclaw (Mourn), Darkwhisker (Ross), and Duskfeather (Nightfall). Hope that's not too confusing 8D So nope, the name Sampson was not given to a girl. xD And yay, chocolate! 8DDDDD Oh, by the way~ *huggles***

**LegendaryHero: Heee. x3 I have to agree, Jayfeather is quite awesome~ And yursh, that is **_**quite**_** in your face... much to the joy of Rainwhisker and Ashfur. x:D As for ThornDusk, well~ You'll see~ ^_^ Thanks for reading!**

**Macey-the-Invisible: Yes, poor Graygray D: YAY Foreign Word of the Day!! 8D I do very much like. xDD *huggles***

**.Energy: Thank ya, Darkeh! ^_^ *glomples***

**Revriley: You're welcome again! And again! xD Hee, good idea about Longtail, but unfortunately he doesn't find out himself~ x:3 He **_**does**_** rock, though! 8D Thankies for reading!! ^_^ Enjoy~ *huggles***

**silverstarfan: We shall see~ x:3 Thanks for reading, enjoy!**

**cometdancer49: xD Sorry 'bout that! Thankies so much for reading!! x3 *glomps***

**(Sorry if I spelled some words wrong in those review replies, I'm kinda in a rush and don't have time to double check... xDD)**

**Onto the unlucky chapter 13... xD**

Chapter 13

_Beneath the Moonlight_

There was a dead silence for only a few seconds before panic immediately filled the camp. Shrieks and gasps were heard from about every cat, frantically talking and yelling to each other in fear. Phrases such as "Graystripe's dead!?" "Who did this?" "Was he alone?" surrounded me; I winced as a particularly loud wail-- probably from one of the queens-- broke out.

At once, I turned to Ross, my eyes narrowed. He was alone with Graystripe. Only _he_ came back to camp. Who else could have killed him? _But what about the plan?_ a voice rang in my head. _The plan was to kill Graystripe and Firestar at the _same time. _Why would Ross disobey the orders of his own brother?_

The black and white tom had caught my eye, and shot back a cold glare. "You think I did this?" he hissed quietly in my ear. "I didn't. We both know that would be turning against the plan. Someone else killed the deputy."

"But who?" I flicked an ear and glanced over at Mourn, who had been eavesdropping on our secret conversation. His amber eyes were wide with disbelief. "No one from the main patrol would have. And everyone else was in camp... Right?" I went over this in my mind quickly before nodding.

"Right. Which means it wasn't anybody in this Clan." _I think._

"Everybody, calm down!" bellowed Firestar, though his voice was detectably cracked in shock and pain. "We need order here!" The Clan began to settle down, though there was still anxious mumbling.

The ginger leader turned to Sandstorm. "Do you know who killed him?" he demanded, trying to be strong. Obviously him and the deputy had been good friends.

"We haven't inspected his body thoroughly yet," she murmured, lowering her gaze. "We don't know. But he was a few paces inside ShadowClan territory; maybe _they_ did it."

"Why would he be on ShadowClan's land?" mused Firestar quietly, before he was promptly cut off.

"May we have everyone's attention?" boomed a voice, and one quite familiar. I raised my head and looked over to see Rainwhisker and Ashfur standing on some of the low rocks of the Highledge. Their matching blue eyes were gleaming in the sunlight and narrowed to slits as they cast their gazes over the crowd, pausing for a while on me, Mourn, and Ross. _Great,_ I thought, stifling a sigh of exasperation. _There they go again._

"Rainwhisker!" exclaimed Firestar, his voice hard. "Ashfur! What are you two doing up there?"

"We're sorry, Firestar," apologized Ashfur-- in a rather fake voice, if I do say so myself-- "but we just wish to say something." All heads turned to the two toms, waiting impatiently to hear what they had to say. I exchanged glances with Mourn and Ross; I could tell this wouldn't be good.

Rainwhisker began. "Obviously, we don't know for sure just how Graystripe died. If he _was_ found in ShadowClan, then maybe they really did do it. And this may make sense, to some-- we _are_ in bad terms with them right now. But it's over _food._ I hardly think that even _they_ would kill ThunderClan's deputy over _food."_ He paused, as if letting it sink in. A few cats glanced at each other, expressions of uncertainty plastered all over their faces.

He continued. "But I don't know if anyone of you knew this... And we just wanted to point this out... But Darkwhisker went out on a solo patrol with Graystripe a few hours ago. _He_ came back, but Graystripe didn't. And this is right before he's found dead."

"What are you suggesting!?" exclaimed Brightheart, her one green eye wide with shock. "That _Darkwhisker_ did this!? How could you _say_ that?"

"Hear us out!" Ashfur shouted over the sudden outbreak. "Darkwhisker, Duskfeather, and Snowclaw all joined the Clan just days ago. They knew how to fight exceptionally well, for loners who had fled from their barn. And they jumped into our battle against ShadowClan quite quickly, even if they knew it wasn't their fight. As if trying to earn our trust."

The Clan was quiet now. A few of them glanced over at us, as if they were actually thinking it over. I waited for Ross to say something, _anything,_ but someone else spoke.

"Please, stop!" I pricked my ears and looked over to see my brother rise to his paws, his eyes wide with desperation. "I've come to see this Clan as a _home._ And just when we're starting to make friends, we're accused of murder?" He had a pitiful look on his face, and I flicked an ear, praying that he knew what he was doing.

"Ro... _Darkwhisker_ didn't kill Graystripe. _None_ of us did. Please, believe us!" His amber eyes were huge as he looked around pleadingly; and then, Cloudtail stood up.

"I believe them," he growled, glaring at where Ashfur and Rainwhisker stood on the rocks. "I've been getting to know them, and they're good cats. They would never hurt Graystripe." Brightheart nodded firmly in agreement.

"Yeah!" chimed Squirrelflight. "They've helped us out a ton since they've been here. They're Clanmates!"

"That's right," rasped Longtail, standing up defiantly from where he sat beside Goldenflower and Mousefur. "You accuse them of being traitors, you're accusing your own Clanmates."

"Duskfeather saved me," murmured a low voice. Gazes were averted to the medicine cat den, where Thornclaw sat right outside, his amber eyes blazing. Leafpool sat next to him, watching him carefully, as if making sure he wouldn't hurt himself. "When I was caught in that fox trap, she was the first one that found me. She could have just let me die, or finished me off. No one would ever know. But she saved me. If you two think that they're bad, then go ahead. But I'm not buying _any_ of it." I found myself smiling a bit at his words, without even meaning to. The golden-brown warrior spotted me, and gave a small grin back. I quickly looked away, a sudden feeling of embarrassment coming over me.

"I'm with Thornclaw!" chimed Whitepaw.

"Yeah, me too!"

"Same!"

Cats began yelling at Ashfur and Rainwhisker, telling them to sit back down and to "keep their mousebrained ideas to themselves." (That particular line being courtesy of Longtail.) And I just sat there, watching them silently. They had so much _faith_ in us. I felt a twinge of pity, knowing that their opinions would soon change, whether they wanted it or not.

Ashfur and Rainwhisker narrowed their eyes, and the latter sent us a glance. We locked gazes, his expression overflowing with distrust and distaste. I fought the urge to smirk at him. His very own Clan was on _our_ side, not his. _We_ were winning.

"Everyone, calm down!" Firestar bellowed. "I will not allow this nonsense to carry on!" He looked at his patrol; "Sandstorm, Brackenfur, come with me. We'll go to Graystripe and find out what happened." There was fatigue and sadness in his voice, and he wasn't trying too hard to cover it.

"Shouldn't Darkwhisker, Duskfeather, and Snowclaw come with us?" Sandstorm asked quietly, smiling softly over at us. There was no challenge or suspicion in her voice, only kindness. "Just so they can completely clear their name." Firestar thought about this for a second before nodding.

"Very well. You three... Come with us." The ginger tom began to lead the group up the slope; his ears were flat against his head and he dragged his paws slightly. _Poor guy,_ I thought, somewhat sarcastically.

The air was getting cooler, and I stayed close to Ross and Mourn as we walked behind Firestar, Brackenfur and Sandstorm. Clouds were forming and covering the sun; maybe it would even start raining again. How perfectly fitting with the mood. It was uncomfortably quiet as we made our way towards ShadowClan. Sandstorm had her head bowed a bit, her eyes darkened with grief, and as strong as Brackenfur was trying to be, his legs shook just a tiny bit with each step he took. Nothing needed to be said. And so no one spoke.

The undergrowth thinned out, and the green, deciduous trees were being replaced with dark evergreens. The leaves and twigs were taken over with dead pin needles, and the familiar scent of ShadowClan met our noses. Soon, Firestar halted, flicking his tail. We stopped; Ross, Mourn, and I looked at him expectantly.

"This is the border," he mewed. I shivered a bit; something about it seemed so ominous. Or maybe that was just the wind. "Well?" he said quietly, turning to his warriors. "Where is his body?"

"It's just a bit further along this way," murmured Brackenfur, his ears flat against his head. "A bit further down the border."

We kept walking silently; sometimes, Mourn and I would exchange glances. Ross seemed to pretend we weren't there. And soon, a new-- yet all too familiar-- scent washed over me. Blood. _We're getting close,_ I thought gravely. _If we don't pick up the pace, the flies will get him before we even get there... _

Suddenly, Mourn came to a halt, his eyes widening as he looked off further into ShadowClan territory. "Is... Is that him?" he squeaked; I think he sounded more pitiful than intended. Heads were raised, eyes averted into the direction he was looking; and we saw him. From where we were, it was but a gray lump, though there was no doubt. That was Graystripe's body.

"No," Firestar breathed, his green eyes glimmering. "No... Graystripe..." He began into ShadowClan towards his beloved deputy's body, nearly tripping on his own feet in his haste. Brackenfur slowly followed after him, his shoulders sagging and tail drooping. Sandstorm glanced sadly at the three of us before giving us a small nod and leading us over.

I pricked my ears and halted when we reached where the cat lay. I craned my neck forward to get a better look; his gray fur was matted with blood, and below him, pine needles soaked in red. He had a few deep gashes, including one stretching from his left shoulder to his back leg. His ear had been tattered in the fight, and there was a small cut directly below one of his eyes, still bleeding. His amber eyes were still open, and one last look of defiance outlined his features. After a few more moments of inspection, I noticed a laceration below his chin, on his neck... The killing blow, I'm sure. It all made me wince, just a bit-- yes, even me. Am I so heartless...?

"Graystripe," rasped Firestar again, shaking his head with disbelief as he simply stood there and stared the dead tom. His tail was between his legs, his ears flattened, every muscle in his body sagging with grief. It was as if a sudden realization came over him, as if he hadn't believed a word that Sandstorm had said and it only just clicked that it was all a reality.

And then, the great leader fell to the ground, burying his nose against Graystripe's bloodied neck. He clenched his eyes shut, as if that would make everything go away. Sandstorm was looking at the dead deputy, her mouth open slightly and her green eyes shimmering in emotion. She tried to keep herself from trembling, but she eventually gave up and let her feelings take over. She dropped down beside her mate, touching her muzzle to Graystripe's. Brackenfur shakily sat down, bowing his head as he said nothing.

I sighed and glanced at Mourn and Ross. Mourn was too caught up in it all, looking at Graystripe in horror, but the other tom caught my gaze. His expression was unreadable, as was mine. I looked away, facing the Clan cats. I felt slightly awkward; I didn't know what to say or do. Finally, I bowed my head, copying Brackenfur. Ross and Mourn did the same.

It was quiet for a long time.

But soon, rising above the stench of blood came a new smell; the smell of cats. ShadowClan cats. I raised my head, and the others slowly got to their paws. Everyone but Firestar, that is-- I couldn't tell if he was oblivious to the approaching ShadowClanners, or if he just didn't care.

And then, three cats appeared from behind an oddly jagged boulder-- Russetfur, their deputy, with Rowanclaw and Oakfur. I remembered them all from the recent battle, and fighting with Oakfur one-on-one. He seemed to remember me too, and sent me a deathly glare, looking as if he would have liked nothing more than to rip my tail off. _Go ahead,_ I thought, smirking lightly. _Attack me, right now. We outnumber you, two to one. See where that will get you._

Russetfur stepped forward, her green eyes glinting fiercely as her dark ginger fur bristled. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice nearing a snarl. She glared down at Firestar, who gave no reaction. He continued to just lie there, apparently overtaken by grief. Pathetic. "Can't you see your in ShadowClan territory, you mousebrains!?"

And so, Brackenfur took over. "A better question," he growled, his tail lashing, "is, 'Why is our deputy dead in your territory?'"

The she-deputy narrowed her eyes to slits, pulling her lips back. "Your precious _deputy_ killed one of our kits! We found him here, looming over her body!"

"That's foxdung," snarled, Sandstorm, stepping in. "Besides, even if you _did_ see him with her, how do you know that he was the one that killed her!? Maybe he saw her in your territory and was alarmed, and came over to help!" When it took Russetfur a moment to reply, it was clear to me what had happened. After Graystripe told Ross to get back to camp, he made his way along the ShadowClan border to meet up with the rest of the patrol. It was as Ross said. But along the way, Graystripe found a ShadowClan kit in pain and went over to help. Some ShadowClan cats found him, and killed him, thinking that he killed the kit with his _own_ claws. Or, maybe not. Maybe they _knew_ that he was only there with benevolent intentions, and they used this as an excuse to get back at us. To get back at ThunderClan for winning the battle.

"We saw him," Russetfur growled slowly, obviously choosing her words carefully. "We _saw_ him kill her."

"There's a chance that you saw _wrong,"_ Ross replied smoothly, calm and cool as always. "Or perhaps you're just lying. Graystripe wouldn't do that."

"Oh, really?" hissed Rowanclaw. "And who are _you_ three? Did Firestar take in even _more_ outsiders?"

Ross narrowed his amber eyes, and I watched him quietly. "We're warriors of ThunderClan," he said. "And don't bring Firestar into this."

Oakfur snorted and glanced at where the ginger tom lay. "Some leader _you_ have. Caught up in his own grief and making his warriors speak _for_ him. How _pathetic."_ He spit out the last word, peering at us all in disgust.

"Well?" challenged Russetfur, keeping her head high. "What are you going to do, Firestar? Or are you just going to sit there, wallowing in pity?" I followed her gaze to my temporary leader, watching as he finally got to my paws. He walked forward and stood beside his warriors. He looked at Russetfur silently, his green eyes shining. Yet, he didn't say anything. _Idiot!_ I thought. _They killed your precious deputy! Fight them! We outnumber them!_ But still, he said nothing. Finally, he turned to Sandstorm and meowed quietly, "Help me with Graystripe's body." The she-cat frowned but complied, heaving the cat onto their backs. Without another word, they turned, heading back towards ThunderClan territory. Brackenfur and the three of us exchanged glances, but nonetheless followed after our leader, leaving the ShadowClanners to watch us walk away. They were satisfied, I could tell.

xGxRxAxYx

There was an uncomfortable air in the camp, still and quiet. Leafpool had managed to clean up the blood from Graystripe's coat, and cats were now individually mourning for him in the center of the hollow. I thought that I may as well show my respects, too, and so when Sorreltail was finished, I went up to the gray cat's body. I leaned down, touching my nose to his and whispered in a voice barely inaudible, even to myself.

"Goodbye, Graystripe," I murmured. "If ShadowClan hadn't killed you, you wouldn't survived a bit longer." I paused, smiling gently as I lifted my head and looked down on him. "Not by long," I chuckled lightly, "but..." I let out a sharp sigh, trying to push away any sadness I felt-- which was, surprisingly, a fairly decent amount.

It was now night. The sun had set just about an hour ago, and the waxing moon shone calmly as it bathed everything in a soft glow. The darkening clouds were now gone, leaving the starry sky clear.

Thornclaw had managed to get himself out of the den and over to the camp's center to mourn-- with Leafpool's help, of course. I watched as he sat alone, next to Graystripe's body, murmuring things to him that I couldn't hear. He shakily got to his paws, attempting to walk on his own. He was doing an adequate job, I have to say. I got up and padded over to him, and when he noticed me, he smiled slightly. The two of us sat down beside each other, watching Clan life silently, not saying even a word for the longest time.

"...You okay?" I asked quietly, glancing over at him. I think my concern for him was a bit too obvious in my voice.

"Hmm?" Thornclaw blinked and looked at me. He looked tired; his eyes were duller than usual, and he let out a heavy breath, but he offered a tiny grin nonetheless. "Yeah... I'm fine. Well, I mean, considering the current circumstances..." He broke off, but held my gaze. I watched him silently, taking note of his features. And something was set off in my mind, a sudden realization of how handsome he really was. Off-guard, I quickly turned away, focusing my stare elsewhere.

"...What about you?" he asked quietly. "I can't imagine what it must have been like, receiving all of that dung Ashfur and Rainwhisker said about you..."

I smiled slightly, turning back to face him. "Must have been even harder for Darkwhisker, being directly accused of killing Graystripe." I sighed and gave a tiny shrug of my shoulders. "It's all in the past now, though. But I still can't say that those two trust us... Me, Snowclaw, and Darkwhisker, I mean."

"They will," assured Thornclaw, smiling tiredly. "Just give them time. They're stubborn ones." I blinked a few times before, grinning just a bit before looking at the ground.

"Thanks," I said quietly, and the warrior batted me lightly on the shoulder with his paw.

"No problem."

We sat together for a few more moments, and I was aware of the slightly awkward atmosphere between us. I shook my head quickly, trying to get out any thoughts I had for him. _He's an enemy,_ I attempted to tell myself. _A piece of shit that ran us out of our home._ But when I looked back up at him, and he smiled so kindly at me... I couldn't help but smile back.

"Attention, cats of ThunderClan!" bellowed a voice suddenly, causing me to jump slightly at such an intrusion to an almost peaceful moment. Firestar was standing atop the Highledge, his head held high as his fur ruffled in the wind. _Looks like he's out of his filled-with-grief phase._

"ShadowClan killed Graystripe," he said slowly once he had gotten everybody's attention. A few cats growled in response while a few hissed remarks about ShadowClan beneath their breaths. "They accused him of killing one of their kits, but we all know that they used this opportunity as an excuse to get revenge for our winning the recent battle." The leader narrowed his eyes, and a new fire swept through them. "Tonight, we are going to avenge Graystripe's death. And all the lies that ShadowClan's been spewing."

One cat let out a cheer, followed by another, and another.

"We will attack at Moonhigh!" he announced. "Dustpelt and Spiderleg will stay to guard the camp incase of any invasion. Before we leave, make sure that that the brambles surrounding the camp are secure, just in case there _should_ be an intrusion. Brackenfur and Brightheart, I'm putting you two in charge of that." Firestar paused for a moment, gazing across the hollow. "Eat and rest before we go. I will call everyone together when it's time." As he made his way down the Highledge, a few cats yowled in determination, and the silent, uneasy peace was broken.

"I suppose I'll be staying here," said Thornclaw, chuckling lightly and halfheartedly. He looked at me and smiled with confidence. "Good luck, Duskfeather."

I grinned as I got to my paws, dipping my head. "Don't worry about me," I purred hoarsely as I made my way over to Mourn and Ross.

The clock was ticking, every second that passed closer to when we would launch our nighttime attack. And we would be ready.

***Fistpump* Here they go again! Those crazy kids~ Growin' up so fast~ xDD**

**Review and you shall get an Ashfur plushie, because I'm running out of ideas. xD I love CC~**

**Till next time!**

**Pearly**


	14. Chapter 14: A Shooting Star

**Hey, all! Ready for Chapter 14? *whooo~!***

**Review Replies: **

**LegendaryHero: :D Thank ya! I tried to keep Firestar in character and figure out what he'd do if Graystripe really died. :3 Glad you liked it! Thanks for reading~ *hug***

**Katie Ladmoore: Thank ya! :3 Hope you enjoy this chappie! x3**

**Warriors-Skywing: *girlish giggle* I know, right?? :'D Thanks for readin'! *huggles***

**Revriley: Cloudtail and Longtail ROCK 8D *confetti falls in honor of them* xD Thank ya for readin', Rev! *glomptackles***

**Macey-the-Invisible: Yaaaaay, go Fiyastaaah! xDD He's just a little cooler now. x3 Nyumba! What does that mean?? xDD Thanks for readin'! ^-^ *glomples***

**Chat et Chocolat: Heehee, I shoulda just skipped Chapter 13 and called it Chapter 14. That woulda been funny~ xD And actually, *puts on glasses and points to a blackboard like a teacher* Moonhigh is **_**not**_** when Gatherings are held-- Moonhigh is a Warriors word for midnight. ^-^ Teehee. Thank yaaa for readin'! *glomples***

**Onto the more-lucky-than-Chapter-13 chapter~ 8D *shot***

Chapter 14

_A Shooting Star_

There was a tension in the air, painfully thick and noticeable. Few cats spoke as we made our way through the dark forest, Firestar at the lead. The ginger tom had been given a new kind of fire, a new kind of spirit; his emerald eyes were now narrowed, his head bent low to the ground as he glared at an unseen being in front of him. Sandstorm was close at his side, their pelts occasionally brushing; the she-cat was obviously worried about him, but she didn't say a thing.

Me, Mourn and Ross walked in a close bunch towards the middle of the crowd; a few warriors gave us small, almost apologetic smiles, as if they were trying to say they were sorry for leading us into a battle only days after we'd joined the Clan. Those exact words were never said, of course.

I shivered as an unexpectedly cold breeze blew by, the noise of rustling leaves filling my ears... That and the soft footsteps and murmurs of the cats around me. My heart was pounding a bit, my fur bristling involuntarily as we grew closer to ShadowClan with every step. I wondered if they were _expecting_ a battle. Perhaps that's what they wanted all along-- bloodshed. Of course, they _were_ the ones that killed Graystripe. No, not us-- them. ShadowClan. And I had a feeling that even more lives would be lost tonight. _If anyone has to die,_ I thought bitterly, _then let them pick Ashfur and Rainwhisker._

"Are you nervous?" whispered a voice in my ear; I glanced sideways to see Brightheart walking beside me. Her one green eye shimmered smoothly, a soft frown on her face. She looked almost concerned for me. Did she think I was unable to fight for myself?

I smiled a bit and shook my head stiffly. "No, I'm not nervous," I replied quietly, turning my gaze back in front of me. "Just worried. I hope no lives are taken tonight." The she-cat was quiet for a few moments before replying.

"I was thinking about that too." Her voice was almost muffled, and she was now looking sadly at the ground. "They killed Graystripe; they must mean business. But why would they go this far...? Is the battle really just over food?" I let out a sigh and shrugged softly, about to reply when a voice cut it.

"If any of _them_ die, so be it," Cloudtail muttered, his blue eyes narrowed as he stepped forward to walk beside his mate. "They murdered our deputy in cold blood. This isn't some sort of _game--_ they want to go all out with us, and they've made that perfectly clear."

"You're being foolish," growled Ross in a low voice as he looked over at the fluffy white tom. "If we kill any of them, then how will we be _better_ than them?"

Cloudtail snorted softly. "Well, Firestar looks like he's just about ready to slit Blackstar's throat. We'll see how it all turns out when we get there." Brightheart lowered her head mournfully, looking too shaken up to speak.

"Darkwhisker's right," murmured Mourn, looking to be in a condition quite similar to Brightheart's. But he raised his head, his amber eyes glimmering with resolve and confidence. "I don't want to kill anyone if I don't have to." I looked over at him quietly, but he avoided my gaze. I sighed, and no one said anything more for quite a while.

I found myself sinking to the back of the crowd; by then, I was in my own little world, but I quickly broke free when I saw Rainwhisker taking up the back. Ashfur wasn't with him; come to think of it, I think I saw him talking with Squirrelflight at the front of the crowd. He had been soft, trying to soothe her. I never knew that was possible for him.

I sucked in a breath and padded over to the gray tom's side, walking next to him. He glanced over me, narrowing his eyes, but I cut in before he could say anything.

"Hey," I murmured quietly, acting concerned. "You okay?" Rainwhisker pulled back his lips a bit, studying me and wondering what I was up to.

"Why wouldn't I be?" he muttered, turning his gaze away from me. I sighed, lowering my head.

"Well, ShadowClan killed Graystripe, and--"

"Did they, now?" murmured the warrior, observing me from the corner of his blue eyes. Tsk. He may have been right about our being spies, but he was wrong about this. Hadn't he also accused me for hurting Thornclaw, back when I found him at the trap...? Of course, once he saw that he _had_ only gotten himself caught in a snare, he let it go. I wonder what Rainwhisker would have done, though, if I had just _found_ Thornclaw bleeding like that-- no trap or anything. And what if he was _dead?_ Maybe that would've been the end of our plan, right then. Right there. Would any of them believe me if I told them he had been just _lying_ like that? Maybe a fox did it. Maybe it was ShadowClan. No, back then, I doubt they would have listened. Just goes to show how little time it takes to earn a whole Clan's trust. Well, _almost_ a whole Clan.

"Look," I sighed. "I want to forget everything that's happened between us. I know you don't trust me, but I _want_ you to. Please."

Rainwhisker looked at me, his expression uncharacteristically hard to read. For a moment there, I thought that he would at least say, "I'll think about it." Oh, how wrong I was.

"I'll never trust you," he growled slowly, his eyes narrowed to slits. And, without giving me any time to reply, he turned and walked further up into the crowd. I watched him go, my whiskers twitching. I made a mental note to kill him first when our rogue band was to face off with ThunderClan.

It wasn't long until we finally reached the ShadowClan border. Firestar lashed his tail, bringing his cats to a halt.

"We'll split up into two groups from here," he announced. "We will approach the camp from opposite directions. When you hear my signal, we will launch our attack." He paused, quickly looking over the crowd. "I will lead Squirrelflight, Leafpool, Whitepaw, Brightheart, Rainwhisker, Cloudtail, and Darkwhisker. Sandstorm will lead Ashfur, Brackenfur, Snowclaw, Duskfeather, Birchpaw and Brambleclaw." I pricked my ears and weaved my way through the crowd, gathering with Sandstorm. Mourn popped up at my side, a sullen look on his face.

A few cats murmured brief good lucks and goodbyes to each other. I watched as Birchpaw and Whitepaw shared a tender moment; the usually obnoxious tom licked the she-cat's ear, smiling softly and whispering something inaudible. Whitepaw smiled back. Brambleclaw was talking quietly to Squirrelflight; I had never realized how close they were. Ashfur seemed to be staring at the two, as if he wanted to say something but was held back. I wondered what ever went on in that tom's head.

We broke apart, Sandstorm leading our group deep into the forest of ShadowClan. The moon was quite large; it would be full in just a few days. Its light was bright enough to illuminate our faces with a faint silver glow. Stars twinkled peacefully, and it was almost deathly quiet. _What a perfect night for a battle,_ I thought sarcastically as I quietly walked beside Mourn. I let our pelts brush, trying to soothe my obviously anxious brother. He glanced over me, his amber eyes shining worriedly; I could tell he didn't want to fight. But that was something he would have to learn to deal with.

I found myself thinking of Thornclaw, sitting back at camp, alone with Dustpelt, Spiderleg, the elders, and the queens and kits. Had he never got caught in that trap, maybe he would've been beside me at that moment. Maybe he would have told me something reassuring, and I would have smirked, rolled my eyes jokingly and told him not to worry about me. What am I saying? Of course I didn't wish for any of that. I didn't care for him at _all_.

...I mean... Right...?

The scent of ShadowClan was getting stronger; we were quite close to their camp. I sucked in a breath of air, holding it for a moment and nearly forgetting to let it go. It was almost time. And what the outcome of this battle would be... I hadn't a clue. The important thing was to make sure that Mourn and Ross stayed alive. I looked over at my brother, who was watching the ground as he walked. I sighed and let my tail rest on his back, but I said nothing.

Soon, Sandstorm stopped and glanced over her shoulder. "We're here," she whispered. I pricked my ears and tried to look over the cats in front of me. Curse my shortness.

As quiet as we could be, we slowly stalked forward, keeping ourselves against the ground. I gave Mourn a gentle shove when I noticed that his long tail was sticking straight in the air. We were now standing at the edge of ShadowClan's camp, at the top of a shallow hollow hidden by low-hanging tree branches. For the moment, I couldn't see anyone-- perhaps they were all in their dens. After a moment, I saw cats appear at the other side of the camp-- Firestar's group. We were in position; Sandstorm and Firestar met each other's gazes, giving themselves a nod. From where I was, I watched as the leader slowly stepped forward, his head held high as his green eyes narrowed. He looked almost respectable.

Puffing out his chest, he opened his mouth and bellowed, "ThunderClan, attack!" Battle cries were yelled as cats plummeted down the slope, all of us prepared to fight for Graystripe's life.

...But there was no one there. No cats came out of the dens, and when I glanced inside a few of them, they were empty. Alarmed, a few ThunderClanners started exclaiming things such as, "Where are they?" "What happened!?" It was true; the camp was completely abandoned. But why? Why would they leave their own Clan's camp? Not even any elders, queens or kits were present. The medicine den had not a soul in it, either.

"What's going on?" whispered Mourn frantically, quickly glancing around this way and that. It would be only a matter of seconds before we'd find out.

"Firestar!" a voice suddenly called-- a voice very familiar. But who was it...? We raised our heads, and, to my horror, saw Blackstar standing at the top of the camp's slope. His warriors slowly began to appear, surrounding us from all sides as they looked down at us. I narrowed my eyes and pulled back my lips as I glared up at Blackstar.

"Damn them," I muttered quietly. "They knew we were coming. This was all a trap."

"Blackstar!" growled Firestar, taking a step forward. "What is the meaning of this!?"

"The meaning?" echoed the ShadowClan leader loosely. "Of what? Of _my_ camp being filled with _your_ warriors? Yes, what _is_ the meaning of this, Firestar?" In the moonlight, I could have sworn I saw Blackstar smirk a bit. He really was enjoying this.

"You know very well why we're here," replied Firestar, his voice nearing a snarl. "You murdered our deputy."

"Did we, now?" Blackstar growled back, reminding me of Rainwhisker's words from just that night. "And you want a battle because of it, don't you?" I bit my lip; there was something about Blackstar's attitude that I didn't like. He was too smug, considering the circumstances-- what was he planning?

"Yes," replied Firestar, growing impatient. "Now come down here and fight us." Blackstar lifted his white head, sneering as he looked down at the ginger tom.

"Very well, Firestar." And, in one swift motion, the huge cat lifted his head and roared, "ShadowClan, attack!" His warriors let out snarls and growls as they ran down the slope, immediately colliding with ThunderClan. Before I had time to react, I was bowled to the ground, a paw placed at my neck as claws dug into my shoulder. I hissed and craned my head, looking up to see Oakfur glare down at me. I narrowed my eyes and smirked at the sight of the tiny warrior.

"Good to see you again," I chuckled darkly as I lifted a paw, swatting it out at his face. Drops of blood splashed onto the ground, and the tom let out a snarl of pain as he took a step back. I leaped to my paws, facing him as I lashed my tail.

"You," he growled deeply, lowering himself to the ground as he prepared an attack.

"_You?"_ I repeated, unsheathing my claws. I leered at him before saying smoothly, "My name is Duskfeather." I lunged myself at him, leaping to the left at the last minute, tripping him with my tail as I ran past him. I swiftly turned around and pinned him down while he was still on the ground, slashing my claws violently down his back as I bit into his right ear. Oakfur yowled out, trying to get to his paws; I snorted at his attempt.

"Why don't you try fighting someone your _own_ size?" I whispered as I kept my teeth in his ear. "Like an apprentice, perhaps?" I ripped my jaws away from the flesh of his ear, leaving a nick to remember me by. He snarled in fury and blindly leaped at me, lashing out wherever he could. I leaped to the side to avoid him, but he managed to slice my shoulder. I growled and whirled around, lashing my claws out at his neck as he rushed by. He gasped and froze, coughing up a bit of blood. I guess I'd hit him a little harder than intended.

By now, his brown pelt was darkened with red, drops of blood dripping off of clumps of his fur and onto the ground, But he wasn't done yet. His eyes gleamed irately in the moonlight as he ran at me, sending his claws flying at my face. I tried to leap back, but was a bit too slow-- I winced as a sharp pain crossed over my eyes; I was lucky I didn't wind up having the same fate as Longtail. I thrust myself at the warrior before he had time to counter, ripping at the flesh of his chest and bringing my other paw pounding against his head, knocking him over. I stood over him, pinning him down and letting my claws enter the skin of his shoulders.

Leaning down, I whispered in his ear, "Surrender." The cat glared up at me, pulling his laps back defiantly.

"No." And, in response, I lifted my paw, lashing it down the soft flesh of his belly. Oakfur cried out in torment and tried to wriggle free, but I kept the small warrior pinned down to the ground. After a moment, he snarled, "Fine, I surrender! Let me go!" I got off of him, watching him carefully with narrowed eyes as he got to his paws. Part of me was expecting him to attack again, but instead he turned and ran off, disappearing into the throng of hissing cats.

I spit out a bit of blood as I glanced around, looking for another enemy to fight. I spotted Mourn fighting against a she-cat; he looked like he was doing quite well, despite himself. It must have been his apparent desire to protect ThunderClan. I cringed as the she-cat sliced her claws across his flank, staining his snow-white pelt. I ran over to help him; snarling, I leaped at the unaware tortoiseshell and knocked her to the ground, swatting her head with unsheathed claws. The cat hissed and glared up at me with angry, green eyes. I paused for a moment, noting that her bone structure was quite similar to Brambleclaw's. Could they have been related?

Just as the enemy opened her mouth to say something, a loud wail cut across the clearing. "No! _Stop fighting!" _I lifted my head and glanced at Mourn, and the two of us quickly pushed our ways through the crowd to see what was going on. The others around us were slowly ceasing their combat, blinking in confusion as they tried to figure out what was going on. Some, however, continued to fight, oblivious to anything else.

Breaking through the crowd, I froze, seeing what was wrong. A cat lay on the ground, its body mangled and covered in blood. At first, I could barely tell who it was, but when it opened one green eye to look at me, my fur stood on end. _Brightheart. _Beside her stood Cloudtail as he looked down at her in horror.

A few ThunderClan cats took several small steps towards the scene, and after a minute, I followed, trying to get a better look. A tiny she-cat darted through the crowd-- it was Whitepaw, Brightheart and Cloudtail's only daughter.

"Mom!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening as she looked down at the mortally wounded she-cat. "W-What happened to you...!?" Brightheart let out a quiet cough, hacking up blood as she dully looked up at her daughter and mate.

"...This is... what you get when you... fight, isn't it...? I--" She broke off abruptly as she began another fit of coughs, much more violent this time. Cloudtail, his blue eyes huge, lifted his head.

"Where's Leafpool!?" he demanded, panic filling his voice as he flattened his ears against his head.

"I'm here," came a voice, and the light brown tabby quickly made her way to where Brightheart lay, bundles of herbs and cobwebs in her jaws. She quickly got to work, pressing the spider webs against the cat's worst wounds. But, from where I was standing, I thought that I could see a flicker of doubt cross the healer's expression.

"Leafpool," rasped Brightheart as she closed her one eye, smiling softly. "You... don't have to... burden yourself... with m--" Another painful gasp as she hawked up more blood.

"Brightheart," whispered Cloudtail, vigorously licking the wounds that Leafpool wasn't currently dealing with. "Y-You don't have to talk. Just hang in there..." Whitepaw stood beside her parents, her green eyes sparkling with fear.

"Cloudtail," Brightheart murmured, her eye half-closed. "I... I'm sorry, I..." She swallowed and let out a staggered breath of air. "...I-I'm not... going to make it..." She grinned slightly up at Leafpool as she closed her eye. "...Am I, Leafpool...?" The medicine cat flattened her ears and took a step back, bowing her head.

"...No," she whispered, her voice shaky. "No, Brightheart. I... I'm sorry."

"No," murmured Cloudtail with disbelief as he stumbled backwards. He stared at Leafpool, his sadness replaced with anger. "Don't stand there and do _nothing!"_

"Cloudtail," coughed Brightheart, opening her eye again to look at him gently. "...Stop. It's... It's okay."

"You almost left me once," whispered Cloudtail, trembling, his blue eyes glimmering with emotion. "Back when you fought that dog pack with Swiftpaw." He shook his head slowly, his voice squeaking when he said, "Don't leave me _now...!"_

"Mom," breathed Whitepaw, her legs shaking so much that she had to sit down. Brightheart let out a raspy sigh, still smiling softly to both of them.

"I love you," she whispered. "Whitepaw and Cloudtail, I..." Her smile drooped into a frown as her green eye began to shine with grief and sorrow.

"Brightheart!" cried Cloudtail. "No! You can't! You can't leave me!"

"...I love you... _so much..."_

"_Brightheart!"_

...Those were her last words. The she-cat, now beaten and bloodied from the fight, closed her one eye for the last time. Her breathing began to slow until it came to a halt, leaving Cloudtail and Whitepaw staring at her, devastated.

"Brightheart...!"

_ "Mom!"_

The matching white cats fell to the earth, burying their faces in their beloved one's fur. "...I love you too," whispered Cloudtail, clenching his eyes shut as he breathed in the warm scent of his mate. "I... I l-love you... too..." I closed my eyes, bowing my head in sadness. Mourn stood there, his mouth open slightly and his eyes wide with incredulity. I lifted my head, opening my eyes to the sky. The stars twinkled brighter than ever, and I knew that Brightheart was making her way up there right now. I knew it.

After a few moments, Cloudtail slowly and shakily heaved himself to his paws, his white fur now stained in Brightheart's blood. His eyes narrowed and flashed angrily before he snarled, "Who did this!?" I have to admit, I almost flinched at this; he was so aggressive it was almost scary. Just when you think you've got a cat's inner personality figured out, you realize how wrong you really are.

A cat stepped through the crowd, and I glanced over to see who it was. He paused when he reached the front and looked over at the small family, his amber eyes dull with what looked like _boredom. _His white fur was bloodied, yet he appeared to be unharmed-- perhaps it was only the blood of other cats.

"Blackstar," whispered Mourn. I narrowed my eyes as I glared at the leader.

"She was in the way," he said nonchalantly. "_You_ are the ones that attacked us. This is one of the prices you will pay."

_ "Blackstar!"_ yowled Cloudtail, his fur bristling as his tail lashed wildly. "You did this! You _killed_ her!" Without thinking, the fluffy white tom ran at the ShadowClanner, lunging furiously at him. Blackstar, however, caught him by the throat, ramming him painfully into the ground.

"Do you really think it's wise to fight me?" the huge tom growled. "Considering the new circumstances...?" Cloudtail shakily got to his paws, his lips pulled back and his blue eyes narrowed to slits as he glared at the tom.

"What 'new circumstances'?" he demanded in a low voice, watching him carefully. Blackstar smirked and raised his head, indicating to the top of the slope. At first, I didn't see what he was pointing to, but my eyes widened as I saw another group of cats appear, an unusually spotted golden-brown tabby in the lead. I watched as Firestar stepped forward, panic flickering in his eyes. Could this be another Clan...?

"Leopardstar!" he bellowed. "What's going on? What is RiverClan doing here!?" _So this is RiverClan, huh?_ I thought quietly, watching as everyone else stopped fighting and now stared up at where this new Clan appeared.

Leopardstar gazed coolly down at ThunderClan's leader, her amber eyes narrowed and gleaming under the light of the moon and stars. "Blackstar offered us a deal," she told him smoothly. "If we aid them in this battle, then we will share any newly gained territory from ThunderClan."

"What!?" exclaimed Firestar, pulling his lips back. "You can't...!"

"You see, Firestar?" chuckled Blackstar as he casually flicked a tail. "You can't win this time. Not against ShadowClan _and_ RiverClan. Now give us some of your territory or we will not hesitate to attack and wipe you out." The ginger tom narrowed his green eyes, hesitating for a moment.

"...Fine," he growled reluctantly. "How much of my territory do you want?" Blackstar smiled, content that the ginger tom had decided to comply.

"The area between the current ShadowClan border and the Twoleg path."

"What?" snarled a ThunderClanner-- Squirrelflight. "You have a huge territory as it is!" Firestar sent her a small warning glance. As reluctant as he was to give up so much territory, he knew that in order to protect the rest of his Clanmates, it was the only thing to do.

"...Fine," sighed the tom, defeated. "That area is now ShadowClan's."

"And RiverClan's," confirmed Leopardstar with a nod. Firestar narrowed his green eyes, sending a resentful glare to the she-cat; but if she had noticed, she payed no mind.

"Now leave," Blackstar said dismissively, smirking slightly. "Or we'll make you leave ourselves." Cloudtail had been watching the ShadowClan leader the whole time, and he now seemed to be shaking with fury.

"_Blackstar!"_ he hollered again, taking another attack at the huge white tom. He lashed his claws out at wherever he could reach. "You piece of fox--"

"Cloudtail!" snarled Firestar, stepping forward. "Stop!" But the tom ignored him; he slashed his unsheathed claws out at Blackstar's face; the latter tried to dodge it, but the ThunderClanner managed to give him a scratch on the cheek-- though it was pitifully small and not the kind of wound that would inflict much damage. Cloudtail prepared another blow, this time aiming for the foe's throat.

"Dad, stop!" cried Whitepaw, running forward. At this, the warrior paused, panting as he stumbled backwards, looking around as if he had just awoken from a dream. He looked down at his daughter; eyes of green met eyes of blue, and they stayed like that for a few moments. Finally, Cloudtail sighed and hung his head, his tail drooping and shoulders shagging as he staggered back to where Brightheart's broken body lay.

There was silence as ThunderClan's cats began quietly forming together, preparing to leave. I watched as Cloudtail and Whitepaw lay at Brightheart's corpse, Brackenfur coming to tell them that they had to go. They didn't move for a few moments, but finally got up, letting the golden-brown tom heave the she-cat's body over his back-- Brambleclaw came to help. I flattened my ears; why was I feeling so _sad_ about all of this? I felt a tail rest gently at my shoulder; I turned to see Ross standing close by my side. Our eyes met, amber and shimmering sadly. He blinked slowly and gave a small bow of his head before turning and disappearing into the crowd as our Clan began to leave.

And as we walked quietly on into the night, a shooting star passed over our heads.

**I-I... I'm not too good at writing death scenes... *runs away* T.T**

**Review and get a plushie of Brightheart with angel wings and a halo~ :'3 CC equals love.**

**Till next time, my loves!**

**Pearly~!**


	15. Chapter 15: Angel

**Hey, frandz~! x3 Some of you may be wondering why this is out so early, since usually the quickest I have a chapter up is within a week. :3 ...No? No one's wondering? Well, I'll tell you anyway. xD I was sick today and yesterday and stayed home from school, which equaled lotsa free time, which equaled writing. :3 Whoo~!**

**Review Replies:**

**EeveeCelebi749: D: I know, me loves Brighteh, too~! D: *assists you in chasing Blackstar and Leopardstar* x3 And really? :'3 I never really consider myself as someone who's great at... well, emotional things~ D: Glad you liked it, though! :3 *glomples***

**Macey-the-Invisible: D': Me sorry! I-I... I had to do it! For the sake of the story! *blows nose in a hankerchief* (I probably killed the spelling of that word but I'm too lazy to spell-check it :D ) Miga luha, aaah~ D: *comforts Macey* :'3**

**LegendaryHero: :'3 I guess I haven't really mentioned this before, but this story, all in all, is pretty angsty D: Thanks for readin'! :3 And *bows* your wish is my command~ :3**

**Cinderwing: Aww... Thankies... :3 *glomples***

**Jay Witness: 8D Yaay~! Glad you like it! :3 And woah, I nearly forgot about Kano. xD I started this story about a year ago now, I forget things xD And about the elders issue, I had that in mind as I wrote that bit. ^-^ Onoes, wrong references? D: Hope it wasn't anything too major! And aaah, grammar? *feverishly rips out hair, her eyes wide* xDDD Teehee. Thanks so much for readin'! x3 *glomps***

**Katie Ladmoore: :'3 Thankies! *huggles***

**Revriley: :3 Well, luckily for you, there's more angst where that came from~ x3 And really? :DDD That really means a lot to me, I never consider myself to be good at death scenes... I'm glad I pulled it off :'3 *glomps* Thankies! x3**

**Dreamwish: :3 Thankies! *gives you a lollipop***

**Chat et Chocolat: D:x DANG THOSE SHADOWCLANNERS. xD (Her name's Nightfall, by the way, teehee!) :3 Gracias for reaaaadddiiinnn'! :3 *glomples***

**bookluver24: :'3 *scratches head bashfully* Thankies...! *huggles* :'3 Glad you like it~**

**Oh, almost forgot! LegendaryHero suggested I put a lil' refresher thingie at the start of each chapter. :3 So, for all those who've forgotten what's happened, here ya go~! :D**

**Recap: Devastated by the death of Graystripe, Firestar leads ThunderClan to attack ShadowClan at midnight. But when they get there, the camp is empty-- but ShadowClan arrive soon, trapping them. They fight for a lil' bit, and then Cloudtail cries out in horror. Brightheart is laying on the ground, mortally wounded from the battle. She soon dies, and it's revealed that Blackstar is the one who killed her. Outraged, Cloudtail attacks the leader, but to no avail. Then, RiverClan show up, and Blackstar tells Firestar that RiverClan agreed to assist them if they share any newly gained territory from ThunderClan. Firestar reluctantly agrees to give them a chunk of their territory and he leads his Clan home, defeated.**

**Okie doke, onto Chapitre... er... *thinks of how to say fifteen in French* ... QUINZE! I think. xD Aaaanyway, enjoy! :'3**

Chapter 15

_Angel_

Days passed; it seemed almost unreal how quickly time was flashing by, and after the night of the battle, ThunderClan didn't seem the same anymore. The vibe I had been picking up had always been somewhat cheerful, full of pride and contentment. But now, it was as if every cat in the Clan had given up. Firestar was acting even more pathetic and dreary than usual-- he'd always send out patrols halfheartedly, barely getting himself out of his den in the morning. And he had yet to pick a deputy. I heard from a few others that it was the will of StarClan for him to pick a cat to replace Graystripe's spot much sooner than this, but nobody got in his face about it. They left him alone.

The same with Cloudtail. Now that his mate was dead, it was as if he didn't even have a _purpose_ anymore. He would mope around the clearing, his tail never far from the ground. His ears would be flattened, and every muscle in his body drooped lazily. He didn't eat as much as he used to, and I could tell he was getting skinnier. Leafpool tried talking to him about it, but I'm not sure how much of a help she was.

It wasn't fair... for Whitepaw, that is. Despite all that's happened, the little apprentice tried to stay relatively cheerful. But she would watch her father from across the clearing, and a worried frown would fall over her face. Sometimes I wanted to go up to Cloudtail and hiss, "Just because your mate's dead doesn't mean your _daughter_ is! Why not try being _strong_ for her?" I knew better than to do that, though. He would get over it, I was sure. At least, I hoped he would.

"Hello, Duskfeather," sighed a voice; I lifted my head to see Sandstorm sitting beside me. We were alone at the edge of the camp, right beside the stony walls, watching over Clan life. I gave her a small nod and a smile, and no one said anything for a few moments.

"...Firestar's been in his den the whole day," she mumbled. "The others are getting anxious."

"Why don't you talk to him?" I replied in a low voice, flicking my ear and turning to look at her. "You're his mate, after all. Talk some sense into him. It's not good that he's showing himself so weak in front of the Clan--"

"I've tried," the she-cat cut in, closing her eyes and shaking her head softly, as if everything was useless. "He's taking this whole thing way too hard. He says it's his fault."

I pricked my ears. "How is it his fault? Graystripe was killed by Shadow--"

"Not Graystripe's death," replied Sandstorm. I studied her for a moment; her apparent exhaustion made her seem... older than usual. "I mean our losing so much territory to ShadowClan and RiverClan. He says it was foolish of him to act on such an impulse."

"You can't blame him, though. What would _you_ do if _your_ best friend was just killed?" The pale ginger cat bowed her head, closing her eyes.

"Well, considering my best friend is the leader of ThunderClan..." She slowly lifted her head, opening her eyes to look at me. Her voice fell into a whisper when she shakily said, "I don't know _what_ I'd do." ...I said nothing.

"Well," Sandstorm quickly said as she got to her paws, her voice remarkably cheerier than it just was. "Firestar asked me to lead a quick evening patrol before the Gathering tonight." I looked at her, my ears pricked in interest-- I'd nearly forgotten that the Gathering was tonight. I'd heard a few others talking about it; Spiderleg had been informing me that it was a time every moon when all four Clans joined together in peace. Peace? _I can hardly wait to see what ShadowClan says about ThunderClan,_ I thought bitterly. _If this Gathering has any _peace _at all, then my name isn't Duskfeather._ After a moment, I mentally laughed at this, since Duskfeather _wasn't_ my name. I guess I'd gotten so used to it that the word "Nightfall" had temporarily escaped from my mind.

"You stay here and relax," offered Sandstorm. "You just went out on a patrol this morning with Brackenfur, Dustpelt and Squirrelflight, right?" I nodded slightly and watched as she she-cat walked off, picking a few cats to follow her.

It was still light out, and quite the beautiful day. The sun was quickly making its way towards the horizon, though-- it would be dark in about an hour.

"Did you hear?" an excited voice exclaimed in my ear. I winced, glancing up to see Mourn settling down to my left. I sighed.

"Did I hear _what,_ Snowclaw?"

"The Gathering's tonight!" I snorted a bit and rolled my eyes.

"Only from about six or seven _other_ cats."

Mourn flattened his ears a bit, but then gave a small grin. "I think it's exciting. We'll finally get to see WindClan, you know."

"...If we're picked," I replied, raising an eyebrow as I studied him. "Not _everyone_ goes to the Gathering, you know." My brother looked suddenly crestfallen.

"Well... I hope we get to go. We'll get to meet other cats!" I glanced about to make sure no one was nearby before I lowered my voice and whispered in his ear, "You know that most of the cats you meet will end up being killed anyway, right? It'd be best not to make too many friends. Just remember that." Mourn was silent for a moment; he looked down at the ground, shuffling his paws uncomfortably. He then peered up at me, his amber eyes shining with worry.

"Nightfall," he murmured, ripping his gaze away from mine as he found another spot on the ground to study. "...When are we going to kill Firestar?" I sucked in a breath, letting it out with a sharp sigh.

"When the time is right," I muttered. "When they all trust us." I stared at him, blinking my yellow eyes slowly. "...You don't want to hurt them, do you?" Mourn flinched, quickly looking up at me.

"...No," he finally sighed. "But if it's for the good of the band... For the good of Badger..." He hung his head, his shoulders drooping sadly. I watched him quietly before resting my tail on his shoulder.

"It's alright," I murmured. "It's alright. It'll all be over soon... And everything will be in peace."

A new cat's scent washed over me, and I looked up; hobbling over was Thornclaw. He no longer had Leafpool by his side every breathing moment, and he evidently was doing quite well. He still had to be cautious while walking about, though, and careful not to put much weight on his front legs. When he finally reached us, he let out a breath of air and sat down across from me, wrapping his tail around him.

"Hey, Thornclaw," I purred, a bit nicer than I'd intended. He smiled sadly at me.

"Hi, Duskfeather, I..." He broke off, seeing Mourn's current state. "Are you alright, Snowclaw?" My brother abruptly lifted his head.

"I..."

"He's fine," I cut in, smiling slightly. "Just... With all of the recent deaths..." The golden-brown tabby nodded his sturdy head in understanding.

"Yeah... Times like these are hard." His mouth creased into a frown and he closed his eyes part way, directing his gaze over to where Cloudtail sat by himself, dully looking around. Not too far off, Birchpaw was talking with Whitepaw; the tom was obviously trying to cheer up, and the she-cat kept smiling politely, but she kept looking over at her father, obviously concerned and upset.

"I'm worried about Cloudtail," Thornclaw murmured quietly. "Whitepaw and Firestar, too. They've been affected the most by Graystripe and Brightheart's deaths."

"You were Brightheart's brother, weren't you?" I asked in a low voice, looking away. "It can't be any easier for you." Thornclaw looked at his paws, his ears flattened a bit.

"No," he sighed. "It hasn't been. But... I'm trying not to let myself mope in misery. Brackenfur's trying his best, too. Brightheart... She wouldn't have wanted it that way."

"I just hope Firestar recovers soon," a deep voice sounded. I glanced up to see a certain black and white tom standing beside Thornclaw, his amber eyes glittering with barely any emotion. "He's got a Clan to lead. It's times like these where we need to be strong."

"Darkwhisker," murmured Mourn with a tiny sigh. Ross looked at him coolly before meowing, "Leafpool's out collecting herbs and asked me to sort the scattered ones in her den. I guess one of the kits had quite the adventure earlier." I smiled a bit in amusement. "Will you help me with that, Snowclaw?"

Mourn blinked a few times before scampering to his paws. "S-Sure!" He swallowed and smiled a bit. "I'd be glad to." I watched as the two cats turned and made their way towards Leafpool's den; there was something flashing through Ross's gaze that made me think he wanted to talk about something important with Mourn. But I shrugged, quickly letting it go. Thornclaw and I were now alone, facing each other.

"I heard that before the Gathering tonight," he meowed, smiling tiredly, "Firestar will pick the next deputy. 'We can't look so weak in front of the other Clans, that we haven't even chosen a new deputy,' he apparently told Sandstorm."

I grinned a bit. "Maybe he'll pick you." Thornclaw chuckled, shaking his head.

"Me? Why would he pick the cripple?"

"Oh, stop," I laughed lightly, before pausing and looking at his front legs. I could barely see where the trap had caught him anymore. "How are you, by the way?"

Thornclaw looked up at me, smiling gently. "Better. Leafpool says it won't be long before I can return to my warrior duties." He grinned wider. "Let's go hunting sometime... You know, once I'm all healed. And we hopefully won't wind up in any _other_ traps."

I chuckled a bit and looked at him, a sudden feeling of shyness coming over me. "Sure," I replied softly. "Sounds like a plan." He blinked and gently batted one of my ears, smiling a bit.

-O-O-O-

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Firestar's call rang out within the stony walls of the camp, though his voice was more... hollow than usual. He stood at the top of the stony rocks, looking exhausted, but he nonetheless puffed out his chest and tried to look dutiful.

It was night, and the Gathering was to start quite soon. First, though, he had another announcement to make-- the naming of deputy. I sat beside Thornclaw, Mourn and Ross as I glanced around, stopping to study the cats who I thought had a chance. Maybe he'd pick Sandstorm, his mate. Or perhaps Brackenfur or Dustpelt...? I just prayed that he wouldn't pick Ashfur or Rainwhisker-- especially not the latter. Cloudtail may have been a good choice if he wasn't being so moody; I looked around for him, spotting him at the back of the crowd. His ears were flattened, and it looked as if he were only partly paying attention.

"As we all know," began Firestar, his voice nearing a sigh, "Graystripe, our loyal deputy, has joined StarClan." He paused a moment, letting it sink in. A few cats bowed their heads in response before the ginger cat continued. "It is now time to pick the next deputy." He closed his eyes, lifting his head to the starry sky. "I say these words before StarClan, and the spirit of Graystripe, so they may hear and approve of my choice." He opened his eyes, staring down at the crowd. Everyone was silent, looking at him expectantly. I twitched my tail, wishing that he would break the tension and get on with it.

"...Brackenfur shall be the new deputy of ThunderClan." I pricked my ears and watched as the golden-brown tom blinked a few times in surprise before he walked to the front of the crowd. Firestar skidded down the rocks to meet him. All around me, cats began cheering Brackenfur's name as the cat bowed his head and respectfully licked Firestar's shoulder.

"Thank you, Firestar," he breathed. "I will do everything I can to be a worthy deputy."

"Brackenfur!" I shouted; he was a good choice.

After the commotion had calmed down a bit, Firestar lifted his head. He already appeared stronger and more confident, even from the simple act of naming a new deputy. "I will now name the cats who will accompany me to the Gathering tonight. Brackenfur, Leafpool, Sandstorm, Cloudtail, Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight, Ashfur, Duskfeather and Birchpaw shall come." I pricked my ears and felt my tail lift a bit at the mention of my name. I blinked slowly in acknowledgment and glanced to my left to see Mourn look completely downhearted.

"Aw," he murmured. "Guess I can't go." I gave him a sad smile and a friendly lick on the ear.

"You'll make it next time," I replied, and then felt a soft nudge. I looked over to my right to see Thornclaw smiling a bit at me.

"Tell me how it is," he purred. I smiled and gave him a gentle bat of the ear.

"Sure. Anyone you want me to say hi to from the other Clans?" The warrior paused before shaking his head.

"No," he murmured. I blinked but nodded.

"Alright."

"It's time to go," hollered Firestar. "May the chosen cats gather here?" I smiled a bit to Thornclaw, Mourn and Ross before mewing, "See you guys later." I trotted through the dispersing crowd and caught sight of the others who were going to the Gathering. I padded up beside Leafpool, who gave me a warm smile. Without another word, Firestar turned and led us up the stony slope and out into the territory as we headed to our destination.

The night was very pleasant-- mild and beautiful. There was not a cloud in the sky, letting the light of the full moon and stars soak us in pale silver glow. We traveled closely together, and I realized we were heading towards WindClan.

"Where exactly _is_ the Gathering?" I murmured quietly as I walked beside the medicine cat. She looked at me.

"Right, this is your first Gathering, isn't it? Well, it's on an island." I raised an eyebrow.

"An _island?"_

"Just a small one in the lake," she replied, chuckling lightly. "Between RiverClan and WindClan territory. There's a fallen tree that spans from the island to the main land, which is how we get across the water." I nodded a bit.

"And all the Clans will be there?"

"Yes," Leafpool replied quietly. I could detect worry in her voice-- was she thinking about ShadowClan?

Soon, the trees began to thin and the pure scent of air washed over me. We were nearing WindClan. Breaking out of the forest, I stopped in my tracks for a short moment. We were standing at the edge of spacious fields and hills, green grass-- though darkened in the midst of night-- swaying gently in a breeze. I looked over at the lake, my eyes widening slightly. It was gorgeous-- the moon and stars reflecting perfectly off the surface, the waves lapping against the shores so softly... I was brought back to when I was only a kit, asking my mother about these very plains. I remembered her promise to take me here so that we could run in the wind together... I sighed and glanced a the sky.

"Duskfeather!" chimed Squirrelflight, jostling me out of my daydream. "C'mon!"

"Sorry," I murmured, trotting after them.

We walked along the shore for a while, and when I looked out across the water again, I thought I could see the faint shape of the island in the distance. I found myself glancing around the moors and I realized, after quite a few minutes, I was looking for _butterflies._ _Idiot,_ I thought to myself, quickly rolling my eyes. _Butterflies aren't even out at night._

"Duskfeather," came a voice. I pricked my ears and turned to see-- much to my surprise-- _Ashfur_ walking beside me. I tried to keep my fur flat, as I was expecting some sort of foul remark from him. Who knows, maybe he'd somehow find a way to accuse me of _Brightheart's_ death.

Instead, he asked "How are you doing?" as if he was actually concerned. I raised an eyebrow, skeptical. What was he up to?

"I'm fine," I murmured quietly. "You?" Ashfur gave a faint shrug.

"Alright, despite the situation." I nodded and looked at him carefully, blinking.

"Ashfur, is there something you want to tell me?" He glanced at me, his expression hard to read.

"I'm sorry about a few days ago," he finally said, though he kept his voice hard as he turned his gaze in front of him. "About... you know. Graystripe's death..."

"You accused me, Snowclaw _and_ Darkwhisker of being spies and murderers," I said quietly. "Are you really letting it all go, just like that?"

Ashfur took a moment to reply. "No," he muttered, looking at me with slightly narrowed eyes. "I admit I still have my doubts about you. I was simply apologizing for accusing you of Graystripe's death. You didn't kill him, and I know that now."

"Why don't you tell that to Darkwhisker?" I replied, trying to keep myself calm. "I thought you said _he_ was the one who killed Graystripe, not me."

"Yeah," he murmured, looking away. "...I'll tell him." I blinked and found myself saying, "Thanks, Ashfur." I even let a bit of friendliness show in my voice.

"This doesn't mean I trust you," he replied smoothly.

"I know."

He stared at me, and after a few moments, he nodded-- almost awkwardly-- before quickening his pace and disappearing into the mass of other cats. I watched him leave quietly. _He actually apologized,_ I told myself in my mind, slightly shocked. _That's definitely a start._

It didn't take long before we reached the island. We all stood at where the tree bridge began on the mainland; from where I was, I could already hear the sound of life over at the Gathering place. Other Clans must have already been there.

"Careful when you make your way across," Firestar advised as he leaped onto the bark. He swiftly, but cautiously, walked across, jumping onto the grass when he reached the end. After a few others took their turns, I felt a gentle nudge. Squirrelflight was there, smiling a bit at me.

"Go ahead, Duskfeather." I studied her and nodded before getting my short self up on the sideways tree. I instinctively dug my claws into the bark, careful not to let myself fall in. I took a few steps forwards, pausing to look down at the dark water below. I wondered how deep and cold it was...? I swallowed; even though I was only about a foot above the water, I really didn't like heights much. And I hated _swimming_ even more.

Just a few more steps, and then... I jumped, landing a bit sloppily on my paws. I let out a relieved breath of air.

"See?" purred Squirrelflight as she delicately crossed the bridge and leaped neatly beside me. "It wasn't so bad."

"Never said it was," I murmured, my voice shaking a bit.

Firestar led his Clan through a few bushes, where we then broke into a clearing. It was already filled with cats, and I immediately recognized Leopardstar and Blackstar as they stood on a sturdy branch of a large tree. Heads were raised and eyes watched us as we filed in. There were cats I didn't recognize, either, including a small brown tabby who sat on another branch of the tree, one slightly below the other two leaders. _This must be WindClan,_ I thought as I took a seat next to Sandstorm and Squirrelflight. _I guess we were the last ones to make it._

Firestar leaped up onto the tree, taking a seat on his own branch on roughly the same level as the WindClan leader. I noticed four cats-- including Brackenfur-- sitting on the roots-- _they must all be deputies_. Yes, Russetfur was there, as was one of the cats I'd seen in RiverClan a few nights ago. She must have been _their_ deputy.

There had been conversations going on between just about every cat as they mingled, but it began to silence now that Firestar had taken his seat. Blackstar stood up, and I winced-- I'd hate to have to stand up there. I'd probably lose my footing and fall... I shuddered.

"It appears that everyone is now here," he called out, his voice strong as he held his head high. "Let's begin, shall we?" He glanced at the other leaders, giving them a brief nod. "I'll go first, if no one has any objections." No one did.

Blackstar turned his amber gaze over the crowd and waited until he knew he had everyone's attention. "As you all must know by now, ShadowClan has been suffering from a lack of food. And ThunderClan, on the other hand, has more than enough." He smirked a bit and looked over at the ginger leader. "Isn't that right, Firestar?" The ThunderClanner said nothing.

"Luckily," the huge white tom continued, "ThunderClan, after invading our camp in the middle of the night, decided to be generous and graciously give up some of their territory. RiverClan and ShadowClan now share this area." He grinned, once again looking over at our leader. "We thank you again, Firestar." Beside me, Squirrelflight let loose a tiny growl, and Sandstorm nudged her, silencing her.

Blackstar nodded, signaling that he was finished. Firestar glanced at the others and lifted his head.

"We are sorry to say that we have lost _two_ lives in ShadowClan's claws-- our deputy, Graystripe, and one of our warriors, Brightheart. We are _ashamed_ that ShadowClan would resort to murder, but we ourselves are proud that we have not sunken to their level." He glared over at Blackstar, who pulled back his lips in reply. "However," Firestar continued, "despite these sad deaths, ThunderClan is still thriving. I have appointed Brackenfur as deputy. And, for those who don't yet know, we have three recent additions to the Clan-- Duskfeather, Darkwhisker and Snowclaw. Duskfeather is here tonight." A few soft murmurs broke out, especially from WindClan, who hadn't any idea. A few cats glanced around before their eyes landed on me, realizing that they didn't recognize me and therefore pinpointing me as "the newbie." I flattened my ears, trying to avoid all those stares.

After Firestar was done, Onestar, the WindClan leader, began telling us all of _his_ Clan's news. Nothing he said was particularly exciting, and I found myself gaze around the island, growing bored. It wasn't long before I realized that I didn't see Cloudtail. I pricked my ears, thinking that maybe I had just missed him. After all, the night _did_ make it harder to see. But after I quickly counted all of the ThunderClanners, I felt my fur bristle in alarm. Cloudtail was gone.

_Don't stress yourself,_ I told myself. _Maybe he just needed some air and stepped out of the crowd for a minute._ But I flattened my ears, my words far from convincing. I glanced around and slowly got to my paws, keeping myself low to the ground as to not attract attention.

But Sandstorm and Squirrelflight, who were sitting next to me, noticed right away.

"Duskfeather!" whispered Squirrelflight. "Where're you going?" My whiskers twitched and I glanced at the ginger she-cat.

"I'll be right back," I promised, keeping my voice quiet. "Er... Call of nature?" She rolled her eyes, exasperated.

"Duskfeather, you should've gone before we left!"

"I'll be _right_ back!" I assured and unnoticeably made my way to the edge of the clearing. I pushed through a clump of ferns and passed through a grove of trees, leading me to the island's edge. There were a few meters of land from the trees to the shore; it was actually quite peaceful, away from everyone else. I looked out at the water, once again admiring the reflection of the sky. I sighed softly, letting the soft lapping of waves fill my ears for just a few seconds before reality shook me away from my little fantasy moment. _Cloudtail,_ I told myself. _Where is he?_

I walked along the shore, trying to drown out the constant blabber coming from the island's center; Onestar sure had a lot to say. Then, I pricked my ears; over all the smells of cats, I could distinguish Cloudtail's. He was close by. Alert, I glanced about-- he wasn't anywhere to be seen. Sighing, I let myself glance back at the soothing water-- and froze at what I saw.

In the water was the unmistakable shape of Cloudtail. He was facing away from me, and he was completely engulfed in the water up to his back. His head stuck up, but his ears were flattened, and he was slowly stepping deeper into the lake. The rest of his back disappeared beneath the surface, leaving only his neck and head as he quietly let himself sink.

"Son of a... Cloudtail!" I breathed. "What the _hell_ are you doing?"

He flicked an ear, turning in the water to face me. His blue eyes were completely dull, as if there was no life in them at all anymore.

"Duskfeather," he muttered, sighing. "I was hoping I'd be able to get this done before anyone noticed."

"Just what are you doing?" I hissed, though I tried to keep my voice relatively quiet. "I noticed you were gone so I got worried... What are you doing in _there!?"_

"I'm ending it, alright?" Cloudtail growled, though his eyes began shining with intense emotion. I saw him begin to tremble from where he was out in the water. "I... I just want to be with Brightheart... I _need_ to be with her..." My eyes widened and I found myself taking a step back.

"You're..." I whispered, "you're not... You're not going to _kill_ yourself...!?" Cloudtail narrowed his eyes slightly and turned away from me.

"I can't stand to leave her alone," he whispered, his voice quavering. "And I can't stand _being_ alone. I _need_ to be with her, Duskfeather, I... I'm sorry." Giving me no time to reply, the tom then dunked his head into the water. I nearly felt my heart stop, and for a minute, I couldn't get my paws to move. But suddenly, my senses came back to me and I launched myself into the water, diving after him.

It was cold and dark down there, but I managed to open my eyes. I shivered, feeling panic boil inside of me as I was surrounded by nothing but black. I couldn't see _anything._ I accidentally opened my mouth, letting bubbles float up around me. Every instinct I had screamed at me to get out of there, but I couldn't. I had to get to Cloudtail.

I blindly swam forward, my short legs being far from an advantage to me, until I felt myself hit fur. The tom was now sinking to the bottom; I was running out of air quickly, but I had no time to get to the surface and back down by then. And if I did, there was a chance that I'd lose his location.

So, fighting against the water around me, I swam down, feeling for his neck. Once I found it, I grabbed him by the scruff as tightly as my dwindling strength allowed and began swimming upwards. When I looked up, I could see the heavens' silver lights pour down as bubbles rose up around us. It was a beautiful sight, really.

But no matter how much I swam, the surface never seemed to be getting any closer. I coughed and unintentionally sucked in some water, my eyes growing wide from the strain in my lungs. Determined not to let Cloudtail's body drag me down, I used the last of my energy to keep swimming.

Finally, we broke the surface. I gasped and hungrily took in some air, coughing wildly as I kept a firm grip on the fluffy tom's scruff. I narrowed my eyes in concentration, pulling him slowly towards the shore. Soon, I felt land beneath my paws; I dragged the warrior out of the water, letting him lay in the sand. I collapsed, going into another coughing fit. After several seconds, I shakily got to my paws, stumbling to where Cloudtail lay. He wasn't moving.

"No," I whispered; had I been too late? But, hugely to my relief, I heard a small cough. I looked at him as his blue eyes shot open, and he immediately began to hack, eventually spitting out a decent amount of water. The tom looked much small now that his usually fluffy fur stuck together. I sighed and shook my fur, sending water splattering this way and that.

"D-Duskfeather," he rasped, quivering as he stood up. "What..."

"Idiot!" I snarled in a whisper, wanting to claw him across the face. "What the hell was _that?_ I don't know if you've forgotten, Cloudtail, but you have a _daughter_ to take care of!"

The warrior sighed and hung his head, closing his eyes. "I know," he whispered. "I... I was feeling guilty that I wasn't comforting her. That I wasn't helping her. She... Whitepaw's shown so much more strength than I have, and..." He raised his head and looked at me desperately, his lower jaw trembling. "What kind of cat deserves a father like _that_...?" I frowned and let out a breath of air, still a bit shook up from my _lovely_ water adventure.

"You can change," I murmured. "It's not too late. What do you think she would have said if not only her mother, but her _father_ died, too? What would she do _then?_ Besides..." I let my tail rest on his shoulder. "...Brightheart wouldn't have wanted that. You know that." The warrior-- now looking tiny and pathetic (though I probably looked even tinier... I hate swimming...)-- nodded a bit, closing his eyes before burying his face into the fur of my neck. He shook wildly, and I soothingly stroked him with my tail. It was as if he badly needed a shoulder to lean on, and at this point, anyone's would do.

"It's alright," I whispered, letting my chin rest on his shoulder. "Everything is alright."

-O-O-O-

The Gathering was over, and ThunderClan was now walking through the moors beside the shore, heading back home. To explain our soaked pelts, I told Firestar that I had went off to look for Cloudtail, noticing he was missing. I said that he had lost his footing and tripped into the water, and I had to help him out. Nobody, to my relief, questioned us any further.

I felt the the light of the moon grow obscured as we began walking beneath trees, now in our own territory again. I let out a long, deep sigh; I hated swimming even more than I'd thought, and tonight had definitely proved that.

We were almost back to camp when I heard a quiet voice.

"Duskfeather?" I pricked my ears and looked over to see Cloudtail; it was clear that he was putting forth an effort to be happier. "...Thanks."

I smiled reassuringly, nodding to him. "You're welcome, Cloudtail," I murmured as we followed after the others. "...You're welcome."

**Oh, my that, was pretty angsty, too~ D: I-It turned out to be relatively happy, though, right...? :'3 And yay, I do believe this is the longest chappie so far...? :3**

**Please review, and get a Whitepaw plushie~! :3 *huggles her own Whitepaw plushie-- it even makes a squeaky noise!* xDD I love CC~**

**Love you all! x3**

**Till next time,**

**Pearly!**


	16. Chapter 16: Lakeside

**Time for Chapter 16, Yippie! :'D (Or, as they apparently say in France, Youppi!)  
**

**Review Replies:**

**Macey-the-Invisible: Ha! :D Oh, them family road trips. You're bringing back memories, talking about them. xDD As for your wanting some Ross/Night, there's a pinch in this chappie! :'3 And yay! Insalata sandwich all'uovo! I'm gonna say that from now on whenever I'm talking about an egg salad sandwich. x3 *glomples***

**EeveeCelebi749: Tsk, tsk, Cloudtail. *sprays with water* xD And *assists you in setting Blackstar on fire* I kinda made myself hate him D: And yay, thankies!! *glomps***

**LittleSpark: You said it! *smacks some sense into Cloudtail* xD Thankies for readin'!**

**Revriley: :DDD Yay! Nightfall is black, by the way. I described what she looks like waaaay long ago, but that was so long ago that I doubt anyone remembers. xD She's short, has kinda medium-ish fur, amber eyes, and has a kinda squished face. x3 Thankies for reading, as always~! 8DD *glomps you and throws presents (sp? xD) at you***

**LegendaryHero: Heehee, could be, could be~ Thankies for reading! 8D *glomps***

**Katie Ladmoore: Thankies!! *glomps you* :'3**

**Chat et Chocolat: Vingt-trois, vingt-quatre, vingt-cinq, vingt-six... Heehee, French rules. xD I should try writing a fic in French someday. Although it would have to be for children with a very small vocabulary. xDD And yay, I'm glad the way Cloudtail acted seems natural... I haven't read the books in forever (and I haven't read past Eclipse, either, I don't think...) so I gotta keep remembering everyone's character D: And I know, I'm making me hate Blackstar too! xD *kills self* As for the Night/Thorn/Ross... Well, there's lots of that in this chapter 8D**

**Et, here we goooo~! x3**

Chapter 16

_Lakeside_

"Really?" I asked, the corners of my lips rising into a smile. "You're completely better?"

Thornclaw grinned back before giving a small nod. "Yeah, I can return to my warrior duties. Leafpool said I just have to be careful for the first few days and not do anything reckless."

"I have to say, your staying in my den was nice company," purred the medicine cat, raising her head from whatever she was doing with her herbs. "And you might feel a bit of soreness for a couple days-- your legs have to be adjusted to moving again."

Thornclaw nodded, bowing his head to Leafpool. "Thanks for everything, Leafpool."

"My pleasure."

It was raining again that day. Not terribly hard, but there was enough to make most cats want to take shelter. As I stepped out of the medicine den, the fresh scent of spring and water and plants met my nose. I let out a breath of air, closing my eyes for a brief moment.

It was a dark day; the clouds were thick and gray, moving quickly overhead. Everything dripped with raindrops-- even Thornclaw's whiskers as he stood beside me. I opened my eyes, spotting Mourn just as he disappeared into the warriors' den, his long tail trailing behind. Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw were sitting at the edge of the camp, sharing a finch; I guess they liked rain enough to sit outside, but not enough to not use an overhead tree as a cover. Other than them, the camp was practically empty-- except for Firestar sitting on the Highledge, silently watching over his Clan.

"Do you like the rain?" Thornclaw asked, tilting his head. I glanced at him, grinning a bit.

"I don't mind it. What I hate, though, is swimming. And heights."

The golden-brown tom purred softly. "Then at least it wasn't RiverClan that took you in." I smiled slightly, not making any effort to shake the rain from my black pelt. I glanced around until Thornclaw jostled me out of my trance.

"So, you still wanna take that walk?" I pricked my ears and studied him; his amber eyes were glowing with a friendly aura, and he had a sort of hopeful expression on his face as he smiled lopsidedly at me. I smiled back.

"Sure."

We walked through the forest together, side by side, neither of us talking for what seemed like a painfully long time. But I didn't mind that much. It let me just... think. And with the gentle pitter-patter of raindrops, it was almost peaceful to be quiet. I never really took the time to admire the beauty of these woods-- the tall, winding trees and leaves of green, the gentle gurgling of the stream, the occasional bundle of white flowers... I wondered how many Clan cats had taken their home for granted.

"I've really been out of the loop, haven't I?" Thornclaw murmured with a light chuckle. "With my legs, and all... I missed the battle with ShadowClan, the Gathering..."

"Well, nothing important really happened at the Gathering," I replied, shrugging and glancing over at him with a small grin. _Other than almost drowning trying to save the suicidal Cloudtail..._ "Mainly just news about how prey's been running and such."

"I heard there was some worry about how the Gathering would turn out," he mumbled. "With all of the tension between ThunderClan and ShadowClan, and now even RiverClan's on their side." He let out a sharp sigh. "At least there wasn't any bloodshed on the island." I flicked an ear, nodding stiffly.

We stopped at the creek and sat down beneath a maple tree. Leaning against the bark, I looked at the stream, the sound of each plop as a raindrop hit the water echoing through the woods. The current was faster than usual, and if the rain had kept at it, it might've even overflowed. I sighed and looked up at the sky, but then let out a hiss when a water droplet fell into my eye.

"Dammit!" I growled, leaping to my paws and blinking vexingly. I glanced over to see Thornclaw staring at me, his lips rising into a smile until he began to laugh. He guffawed louder and louder, until he clenched his eyes shut and hunched over. I raised an eyebrow.

"What the hell's so funny?" I muttered, examining him. Then, he opened his eyes and met my gaze, and I began to laugh, too. Is laughter contagious? My sides soon began to hurt, and when I tried to suck in some air, my voice came out as a high-pitched screech-- which served as even more fuel to Thornclaw's cackling.

"Stop it," I managed to breathe between laughs. "Is it really... that funny!?"

"No!" laughed Thornclaw, taking short, raspy breaths. "It's not! But I can't... stop laughing!" I grinned widely and batted his ear, my eyes narrowing playfully. He chuckled and faced me, his tail lashing until I leaped at him, bowling him over and pinning him onto his back. I purred hoarsely as I looked down at him, a few drips of rain falling from my whiskers and onto his face.

"Will you stop laughing now?"

Thornclaw's amber eyes twinkled with amusement, and he gave me a sly smile. "Maybe." I gave him another bat to the ear before I got up, letting him go. I let out a deep breath, finally calming down. I coughed a few times and watched as he got to his paws, glaring at me jokingly. I smirked in reply and flicked an ear.

"Shall we continue, then?"

We kept walking, Thornclaw occasionally breaking out into random fits of sniggering. I'd give him a tiny shove, he'd stare at me innocently, I'd roll my eyes... it happened several times.

Then, he had to bring up a question.

"What was it like, living with Darkwhisker and Snowclaw in the barn? Before you came here?" I felt my fur bristle just slightly, but I tried to hide my surprise. I paused a moment, thinking quickly.

"Well," I replied smoothly, focusing my gaze on the path in front of me, "it honestly wasn't too... exciting. Our barn was abandoned by its Twolegs, and there were no other farm animals left, either. There were lots of mice, though."

"Must've been nice," he murmured, a gentle, almost sad smile on his face. "Not having to worry about war or the warrior code or StarClan... Living on your own." I sent him a sideways glance, blinking slowly.

"You say that as if you'd rather live the life of a loner than of a ThunderClan warrior."

He pricked his ears and quickly looked at me, saying "No, no, that's not it." He gave a small giggle, probably trying to make himself sound reassuring. "It must be so different, is all." I smiled just a little before shrugging.

"I guess it was," I murmured. "Lonelier. And the only two cats I had were my brother and Darkwhisker--"

"I'm surprised you and him aren't closer than you are," he said quietly, and I was surprised to hear a tone of coldness in his voice. "Would've thought you'd be mates by now." I flattened my ears and stared at him, my yellow eyes narrowing slowly. He raised his head and blinked a few times at my reaction. "S-Sorry," he said sheepishly, looking away. "I... I didn't mean it. Just forget I said anything."

"It's fine," I muttered, picking up my pace and not turning back to see if he could keep up with me. "Doesn't matter."

After that, we quickly made our way back to camp, neither of us speaking for the rest of the walk. Thornclaw hung his head, looking somewhat guilty, and I just kept padding along silently, the tip of my tail twitching back and forth. When we reached the bramble barrier, I swiftly looked at him, nodded, and said quietly, "Thanks for the walk, Thornclaw. I had fun." And, giving him no time to reply, I slipped through the opening, making my way down the slippery stone walls.

"Hey, Duskfeather!" greeted an excited Mourn as he popped his head out of the warriors' den. He quickly stretched and trotted over to meet me. "Where've you been?"

"I was taking a walk," I replied simply. I watched as my brother lifted his gaze to where Thornclaw was coming down the rock walls.

"With Thornclaw?" he asked, bringing his voice to a whisper. He looked at me, a little smile coming over him. "Do you like him, Nightfall?" Swallowing, I fought the urge to snap at him, and instead shook my head slightly.

"No," I murmured. "No, I don't." I glanced to the left to see the golden-brown tabby walk over to us.

"Hi," he breathed, smiling slightly. I nodded, our gazes meeting. Mourn looked back and forth between us before he flattened his ears, obviously sensing the tension in the air.

"E-Er," my brother stammered, "I've got to, uh... go do... something...?" He smiled nervously before quickly retreating back into the warriors' den. I stared after at him, shaking my head before turning back to Thornclaw.

"S-Sorry about what I said earlier," he said, bowing his head. "I wasn't thinking. It just came out." I lifted his gaze and looked at me. "Y-You're not mad at me, are you?"

"Why would I be mad?" I replied. "It doesn't matter. What's passed has passed, right?" I smiled a bit at him and gave him a light bat to the ear. He grinned, probably feeling quite reassured.

"Great," he purred. "Well, I've got to talk to Firestar about something-- I'll see you later, then?"

I nodded. "Yeah. See you." He smiled and waved his tail in goodbye as he made his way towards the Highledge. I watched him leave before snorting quietly, turning, and vanishing into the warriors' den.

xTxHxOxRxNx

"Where's Darkwhisker?" I asked quietly, lifting my head from the magpie I was sharing with Mourn. The rain had recently stopped, and the sky was only just beginning to clear. The waning moon managed to shine through the thinning clouds, casting a peaceful light over ThunderClan's camp.

Mourn swallowed a bite of bird and opened his mouth to speak, but Cloudtail beat him to it.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him in a while, actually." I studied him; he was sitting with Whitepaw, and the two of them were splitting a plump mouse. I mentally smiled; the fluffy tom was doing much better. The day before, when it was sunny, he had taken his daughter hunting. I'd seen them return, both with several pieces of prey in their jaws, and Whitepaw had been trotting down the slope with a generally happy tenor. I was glad.

"Maybe he went on a patrol?" offered the tiny apprentice, hungrily taking another bite of mouse. I blinked.

"But the last patrol just returned."

"Hunting, then?" chimed Mourn, a few bits of magpie falling out of his mouth as he talked. I raised an eyebrow, and he quickly swallowed before trying again. "Or maybe he just took a walk." I frowned and looked away, finding myself looking up at Firestar's den. I watched as Thornclaw appeared and made his way down the slope. He passed by our group, grinning widely at me. I smiled slightly as he disappeared into the warriors' den. Had I really let myself get infatuated with this tom? What was I thinking? There were far too many reasons why it would never work out-- one of them being that I might have to be the one to kill him. I couldn't let my feelings for him or any other Clan cat get in the way. I looked over at Cloudtail and Whitepaw-- they were smiling and laughing about some joke, and the young apprentice playfully hit her father on the nose. I looked away and closed my eyes.

"I'm gonna go look for Ross," I murmured, getting to my paws as I made my way to the stone wall before anyone could stop me. I felt my tail dragging slightly, but I quickly tried to shake my thoughts away before I made my way up the rocky slope.

I shivered a bit as I slowly strolled through the dark forest. I let myself take my time, though I really wasn't soaking in my surroundings. I was getting lost in thought, rather, as the _other_ half of me tried to jostle myself awake. "_I have made up my mind,"_ Dire had told us what seemed like lives ago. _"We are taking back the land that was stolen from us. We're taking back the lake territory!"_ And soon, there were cheers. One of those cheers had been _my_ voice. I blinked slowly; no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shake the image of Cloudtail and Whitepaw-- father and daughter-- laughing and smiling like that. Was it because _I_ had been the one who had _saved_ Cloudtail from death? The one who told him to watch out for his daughter?

I let out a loud growl, mentally clawing myself across the face. This was for the good of the rogue band. I was given this important mission because Dire thought I could do it-- I couldn't let him down. I had to go through with it... Even if I didn't like it. ...Was I feeling what Mourn had been feeling lately?

The bushes suddenly rustled, and I jumped as a large, brown owl emerged, flying past me with a chorus of loud hoots. I watched as it tried to soar, but it was having a difficult time. It looked like it had been injured. My gaze drifted to the ground, where I saw a few feathers it had left behind. I stared at them for a minute before quietly continuing on my way, glaring at my paws.

The trees were getting thinner, and I found myself breaking out of the forest to where the shore met the lake. The water was breathtaking as usual, but the few dark clouds made the feel a bit more... sullen. I walked in the sand, my gaze set in front of me. I felt water lapping at my paws, and for what seemed like an eternity, I just stood there, letting the wind ruffle my fur.

"What're you doing here?" I pricked my ears, nearly jumping in surprise at the low voice. I turned, seeing Ross sitting about ten taillengths away, a bit more inland. He didn't turn to look at me-- he seemed to be hypnotized by the lake as well. I sighed and silently padded over to sit next to him. Nobody spoke for a few moments.

"I was just wondering where you where," I murmured. "I... haven't seen you much today. How long have you been out here?" He blinked slowly before letting his eyes close.

"...A couple of hours." I shuddered as another cold breeze swept by, but he didn't seem to notice it. I flattened my ears and found myself watching one spot on the ground. He looked over at me. "...Are you alright?" he asked quietly. My whiskers twitched, a bit surprised that he'd even asked me.

"...Fine," I replied, shaking my head softly as I lifted my head to look at him. I blinked, seeing what almost looked like _concern_ in his expression.

"I'd have expected you to be with Thornclaw rather than me," he said, looking back out at the horizon. There was no accusation in his voice.

"You know as well as I do that I could never be with him," I said. "Don't think that I've forgotten about our band. If I ever had a chance with _anyone,_ it would be..." I froze. ..._Someone _from_ the band._ He glanced at me quickly before fixating his eyes back on the scenery. I followed his gaze; I wondered what was going on across the lake, over in RiverClan.

"...Ashfur and Rainwhisker," Ross murmured. I pricked my ears and looked at him. "I think they're beginning to trust us..." Normally I would have retorted with some sarcastic remark about Rainwhisker, but I said nothing. He continued after a moment. "They talked to me today. Ashfur had apologized to me a few days ago for their accusing me of killing Graystripe. He seemed like he meant it. And Rainwhisker... I think now that we're getting Ashfur's trust, we're getting his, too. He'd be the only one who still doesn't believe us-- the group mentality could be getting to him."

"Are you telling me this to let me know that we'll kill Firestar soon?" I asked quietly. Ross looked at me before turning away, almost awkwardly.

"There's that," he mumbled. "We could be ready in as soon as a week." He paused, closing his eyes again. "I thought you should know."

"Ross," I said suddenly, putting my full attention on him. "Why do you act like you're so alone?" He pricked his ears and met my stare. "The only one you've ever been close with is your brother. You practically _refuse_ to allow yourself to make friends. You even ignore me most of the time." He opened his mouth to reply, but I kept going before he could. "You sit by yourself, hunt by yourself... as if there's no one else in the world. I asked you a similar question when we were traveling from our old forest to here. Remember? I asked you why you never talked to anyone. And you said, 'Because maybe I don't want anyone to know what I have to say.'"

"Why are you telling me this?" he murmured, his voice close to a whisper. He turned his head, closing his eyes.

"You're not alone," I murmured. "So stop acting like you are."

He looked up at me, and we stared at each other for a long time. Finally, he got to his paws.

"I should get back to camp," he whispered, his voice cracking a bit. He took a few steps back into the trees before he turned and gazed at me. "...Do you want to come with me?" I smiled a bit and nodded, walking up to him. We said nothing as we began walking back to camp, side by side.

**FUN FACTS! Didja know that Nightfall's name was originally gonna be Scarlet? xD But I decided I liked Nightfall better, so I gave the name Scarlet to some random character-- who happened to be a complete moron. x3**

**I know not a lot happened in this chapter, but the interactions with others and feelings that Nightfall's showing/thinking are important to her character. :'3**

**Review and get a... *thinks* ...a Brackenfur plushie! 8D Yay~! I love CC!**

**Till next time, loves!**

**Pearly**


	17. Chapter 17: A Rainy Night

**Oh, snapperdoodles. (Hey, aren't those cookies? ...Wait, I'm thinking of snickerdoodles and ginger snaps. *shot*) Chapter 17 time! x3 Also, I totally forgot to add a recap last chapter, so I'mma write one down before I forget. :'3 But first... Review Replies!**

**Katie Ladmoore: :D I like Nightfall better than Scarlet, too. x3 Now that I've written so much of this, I can't imagine her as a Scarlet. xD And yep, it was pretty filler, but this chapter is definitely more eventful... Or, at least it builds up to bucketfuls of eventfulness. xD Thankies for readin'! *glomps***

**Revriley: Purdy... *thinks and strokes invisible moustache* He was a loner, wasn't he? I don't remember him ever going to ThunderClan...? *scratches head* Maybe I missed or forgot that part. I haven't read Warriors in a while. D: Anyways, thankies for readin'~ :'D *glomples***

**EeveeCelebi749: xD Yeesh, Nightfall, stop bein' so indecisive~ *is also eaten* x3 And yep, you'll just have to read on to see what happens~! :D *glomples* Thankies for readin'!**

**Chat et Chocolat: HA. xD I lol'd at your review. You give the funniest reviews. xDDD You sound just like Nightfall, with your fear of heights and inability to swim! x3 And, I must say, VEX IS QUITE A COOL WORD. But also kinda ugly at the same time...? Hmm... *is torn* And no, the Clan cats don't use swears like humans do, but Nightfall came from a completely different background and has different beliefs / insults / ect. than the Clanners. x3 And heehee, you Aphrodite, you. I should call you Apphie for a nickname. :3 And your talking about wanting to fix your hair makes **_**me**_** want to fix **_**my**_** hair. Whattup with that, ehhh? AND DUDE. You get to bring plushies and pillows to school!? :O *is writhing in jealousy* xD Thankies for readin'! *huggles***

**Macey-the-Invisible: xDD "HAHA! I don't care." I lol'd :D And yes, unofficial couples FTW x:D VIOLA OMBRELLO! Awesome :D And quite useful, too! x3 I think we actually have a purple umbrella somewhere... Now, whenever it rains, I'll ask my parents where the viola ombrello is and they'll look at me like I'm crazy. Wait, they already do... .'' Merci pour ton... er... review. (I don't know how to say review in French~ D:) x3 *glomples***

**Warriors-Skywing: :'D Yays! Glad ya liked it~ x3 *glomples* Yay, I like Nightfall, too :D Even though she's sarcastic, indecisive, ect, I still love 'er xD Thankies for readin' :'3 *gives you chocolate* :'3**

**Jay Witness: Well, you shall WAIT NO LONGER x:D Heehee, thankies for readin'! *glomp!tackles***

**Recap: Thornclaw, finally released from Leafpool's crutches (xD) takes a walk with Nightfall, though it doesn't end particularly well. After a few hours, Nightfall realizes that she hasn't seen Ross lately, and goes to look for him. She finds him sitting at the shore of the lake. They talk for a bit, and Ross reveals that it's almost time for them to set their plan forward.**

**And now, time for Chapitre Dix-Sept... (Dun dun dun~)**

Chapter 17

_A Rainy Night_

It was sunny that day, the puffy clouds of white standing out against the blue sky. The air was getting warmer as summer approached, and wildlife was flourishing. I sat by myself as I halfheartedly chewed on a vole I'd caught; _It's for the good of the band,_ I told myself. _I'm no traitor. It's for the good of the band. For Sapphire, Mourn, Ross, Badger, Dire... Even Tika, Scarlet, Tin and Ember. And everyone else-- it's for their own good._ _And my mother, Schala... She would have wanted this, right...?_

I found myself fidgeting, because this... This was the last day I'd have with them. With ThunderClan, that is. We were putting forth our plan tonight. It had been eight days since Ross had told me we would soon strike.

"This is what we're going to do," he had murmured in a low voice as the three of us sat in a close huddle. "Mourn, you are going to tell Firestar and Brackenfur that Onestar is at the border with Ashfoot. Tell them that you were on a walk and spotted them along the way, that they sent you back here to fetch them." My brother was staring at the ground, his ears flattened as he kept silent. His amber eyes were lowered, glazed with sorrow and gloom. But he gave a tiny nod, knowing that there was nothing he could do.

"Nightfall," Ross said quietly. I looked up at him, imagining my own expression to be dull. We looked at each other for a moment before he sighed and continued. "Nightfall, we'll be in camp, so we'll see Firestar and Brackenfur leave. Our job is to follow them, but they can't notice. We'll travel in the direction of the wind, if we can. Mourn, bring them to WindClan's border-- you'll get there before us, so stall for time. Act like you've forgotten where exactly they were to meet with Onestar and his deputy. Then, Nightfall and I will catch up, and... And we'll..." He trailed off and looked at my brother and I; we were both still staring at the ground. I remember thinking to myself, "Can I really do this? Can I really kill _any_ of these cats?"

I let out a frustrated growl, bringing myself back to the present. Of course I could... A-And I would. But still, I sighed and looked around halfheartedly, watching cats go by. Time seemed to slow-- Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight were smiling and talking, the latter leaning over to lick the tom's nose. Leafpool was sitting out in the sun, joking and chatting with Sorreltail and Daisy. Longtail and Mousefur were out stretching their limbs, the she-cat gently guiding the blind tom around camp. Whitepaw and Birchpaw were tossing back and forth a fat pine cone, giggling like kittens as Cloudtail watched-- a tiny grin was on his face. A hunting party was just returning-- Sandstorm in the lead as Spiderleg, Mourn, Dustpelt and Ross trailed after them; I watched as Dustpelt disappeared into the nursery to visit Ferncloud. And Firestar sat with Brackenfur at the top of the Highledge, a soft and tired smile on the ginger tom's face.

What a peaceful world they lived in now, despite everything that had happened to them within the past couple of weeks.

I spotted Rainwhisker as he emerged from the warriors' den, stretching after he took what was probably a nap. He looked over at me-- our eyes met. He blinked slowly, his expression hard to read-- he hadn't talked to me for a long time, but I suppose that was better than secretly accusing me of this and that. Maybe we could even make amends before night fell.

He padded over to me and halted, as if contemplating whether or not to sit down. He finally allowed himself to and he faced me, a foot or two away.

"Hey, Rainwhisker," I murmured, trying a friendly smile-- and ending with a pathetic attempt. He looked at me, studying me before he replied.

"Hi. Duskfeather, I..." He shifted his paws uncomfortably, looking quite awkward. I waited. "...Everyone trusts you now-- even Ashfur does. And I... Well..." He gave a muffled cough. "I'd look foolish to be the only one who still has suspicions, wouldn't you think?"

"If you're trying to say sorry," I said quietly, "...then it's fine. But only if you really do trust us now." Rainwhisker paused, thinking over this.

"I don't know what to think," he mumbled. "Part of me still doesn't trust you, but part of me is starting to... want to."

"Well," I replied, "I'm right here whenever you decide to lean towards the second part of you." I smiled slightly. He looked at me, and for a moment I thought that he would return the gesture. But he just nodded-- which was honestly good enough for me.

"Sorry," he whispered before he got up and began to pad away. I watched him go, knowing that that was probably the nicest thing he'd ever said to me... and probably the nicest thing he_ would _ever say.

I went through the day with a somewhat heavy heart, trying to distract myself from the events that would unfold tonight. I found myself looking at the sky often, trying to find the sun and determine how long it had before it'd be gone. Ross often passed me by, briefly resting his tail on my shoulder before he'd continue on his way. It was a bit ironic that I did the same thing to Mourn.

It was getting colder, too-- and cloudier. There was a chance that it would rain-- maybe even storm. Another perfect occasion. At least over thunder, we'd be sure that no one would hear anything.

As I sat watching the sky, I was suddenly rammed into. I yelped in surprise, nearly falling over but I quickly whirled around, my claws unsheathed. But when I saw it was only Whitepaw, I relaxed and smiled a bit.

"Sorry, Duskfeather!" she squeaked as Birchpaw ran over.

"Whitepaw, you gotta watch where you're going!" he exclaimed, as if scolding a kit. The she-cat flattened her ears.

"I'm sorry!" She looked at me, her amber eyes wide. "We were tossing around this stick, and Birchpaw threw it a bit too far--"

"It wasn't too far!" protested the tom. "You could've gotten it if you'd jumped!" Whitepaw glared at him lightly before continuing.

"And so I had to run back to get it, and my eyes were focused on the stick and--"

"Whitepaw," I laughed, "calm down! It's alright." The tiny apprentice let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Well, that's good. But sorry I bumped into you."

"Whitepaw, c'mon, let's keep playing!"

She grinned at her playmate and nodded before waving her tail to me in farewell. "Guess Birchpaw wants me," she smiled. "See you later, Duskfeather!"

"Yeah... See you," I murmured softly, watching as she bounded over energetically to where the tom was waiting. They reminded me of when I was young-- at least young_er--_ and I'd toss around a stick or a pine cone with Mourn and Sapphire.

When I looked back up at the sky, my blood froze-- the sun was beginning to set, though it was just barely visible through the trees and the dark clouds that were forming. A flicker of orange light strayed over the trees for a moment before-- in just a short matter of minutes-- it was gone. We were left in darkness now, no moon or stars to guide us. I glanced around; there were still quite a few cats about the hollow. Now we would have to sit and wait for them to go to bed.

I felt the presence of another cat nearby, and I turned to see Ross sitting down beside me.

"You should get some rest, Nightfall," he murmured, keeping his voice quiet and deep. "You've been fidgeting and pacing all day. You need some sleep."

I looked at him. "But how--"

"I'll wake you up when Mourn takes Firestar and Brackenfur out into the forest. Just make sure that you're sleeping near the den's entrance." I flattened my ears and let out a raspy sigh, the realization of how tired I was finally coming over me. After a moment of hesitation, I nodded and shakily got to my feet.

"Nightfall," Ross said quietly, standing up with me. He let his shoulder rest on my back and looked at me with slightly worried eyes. "It'll be okay, you know. It'll work, and then we can live happily here."

"Yeah," I murmured. "I know." He looked at me a second more before touching his nose to the tip of my ear. I fur fluffed out a bit in surprise and sudden shyness, but I smiled slightly at him as he pulled away-- he gave a half-smile back. And then, without another word, I heaved myself into the warriors' den, where I uncomfortably curled up and fell into a restless sleep.

-O-O-O-

It came again. The same dream that I'd had twice before, this time even clearer than it had ever been. I was standing on a cold, rocky surface, just as I had been in the others. I looked around, though I could barely see anything-- it was raining and storming quite wildly. The sound of water hitting against the stone was so loud that the only other thing I could hear was my own breathing. Lightning flashed, and in that one, brief second of illumination, I saw the bodies of several cats, lying in bloody heap. And among those cats lay...! I took a few steps back before turning and running, back into the darkness, until I stopped and collapsed.

That's when I opened my eyes, and just in time, too-- Ross had his paw frozen in the air, about to prod me awake. I let out a gasp and a few shook-up coughs as I got to my paws, my legs trembling.

"Quiet," Ross mouthed, glancing over me to see if I'd awoken anyone. But everyone was sleeping soundly. I sighed, my ears flattened as I eyed the black and white tom.

"Are you alright?" he whispered, blinking. I nodded stiffly.

"Yeah," I breathed. "Just... a dream." He studied me for a minute before he flicked his tail, beckoning me outside. I followed him out; from where we stood in the shadows, I could see Mourn as he was just beginning to lead Firestar and Brackenfur up the slope. At least the plan was working thus far.

I pricked my ears, spotting Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw at the edge of camp. They were supposed to be standing guard, but the she-cat was fast asleep with her head against the tom's shoulder. I could tell that the dark brown tabby was doing his best not to disrupt her or fall asleep himself.

"He's not going to notice us," Ross murmured, noticing where I was looking. "He's barely awake himself. Plus, he won't find it odd that two cats are going on a nighttime walk, right?" I blinked slowly and nodded. He gazed at me a moment, a frown falling on his face before he turned and began walking along the edge of the hollow. When we reached the spot below the camp's entrance, we clawed our way up the stone and slipped through the bramble barrier, the vast forest greeting us.

I stood there a moment, frozen, and took one last look down into the stony basin. My black fur ruffled at a cold breeze, and seconds later, rain began to fall. It was only a drop or two at a time at first, but it was growing harder by the second until it came to a steady downpour. I saw Squirrelflight jump awake, her and Brambleclaw then proceeding to find a drier place to sit.

"Let's go," Ross whispered, nodding slightly. "We can't let the rain wash away Firestar and Brackenfur's trail." I returned the gesture halfheartedly as I began to follow him into the woods. Was this really it? After all this time, were we really doing this? Would the rest of the band really join us and take over ThunderClan in just a matter of hours? I walked unhurriedly behind my partner, barely noticing as the showers soaked my pelt. My gaze was lowered and my tail sagged a bit as I tried, desperately, to push away any positive thoughts I had about ThunderClan's cats. Why did so many of them have to be so... good? Why couldn't they be as evil as I'd thought of them to be before we began this mission?

Ross stopped and turned, looking at me for a long time. "Nightfall," he said quietly. "We... don't have to do this."

I lifted my head, staring at him. "What do you mean, we don't have to do this? We--"

"What I mean," he interrupted, his shape only a bit recognizable in the darkness, "is that we can wait. If you want to spend more time with them, we can put this off. Maybe even for a few months, if you wanted." He waited for my reply, and I sighed, closing my eyes. I felt as raindrops weighed my whiskers down until they fell to the muddy earth.

"No," I murmured, opening my eyes and slowly looking up at him. "There... There was a time when I doubted that I could do this. But... This is our mission. We've fought a long time for this, and..." I swallowed and narrowed my eyes slightly. "We have to do this now." Ross studied me for a minute before nodding. He lay his tail on my shoulder.

"Alright," he said quietly. "Let's go." I nodded and followed after him.

A few minutes later, I halted, seeing the injured owl I'd spotted a week ago. It was lying on the ground, its tiny body twisted sickeningly. It was dead. I quickly looked away and kept walking, the rain getting harder as thunder, in the distance, began to rumble.

**Shortish, I know, but... I kinda liked this chapter. :3 And teh action is rising, ohmagosh~! :O**

**xD I could NOT remember the suffix to Ferncloud's name. I was like, "Ferntail? Fernpelt? WUT" xD So, in honor of her, Ferncloud plushies for everyone! (Also, this was like the first time I mentioned her...? O.O'')**

**Please review! I lurves CC.**

**Till next time! x8D**

**Pearly**


	18. Chapter 18: When it's Over

**Time for zee Chapitre Dix-huit! :O**

**Review Replies:**

**Katie Ladmoore: Yay, thankies~ :3 Hope you enjoy! Thankies for readin' :D *huggles***

**LegendaryHero: Yee, it's gonna happeeeen~! And oh, Ross, what a jealous soul you are. *shakes head* I think Mourn is my favorite of the three, too. ^-^ He's just so adorably innocent~ xD Thankies for readin'! *glomp!tackles***

**EeveeCelebi749: Thankies! And thankies again! x3 *GLOMPLES***

**Revriely: Oh, cliffhangers. How they love to torment the soul~ x8D And the only reason you're looking for the names of Longtail, Cloudtail and Mourn is 'cause they're AWESOME~ :D Thankies for reading!! *glomples!***

**WarriorsFreak: Oh, right, Firestar's friend from ShadowClan! It was going to be revealed in this chapter, but I changed the plot around a bit, so I'll just tell you. xD It was Yellowfang! :3 And also, for your question about cats not knowing what a week or month is, I had the rogues know because they have a different culture and whatnot from the Clan cats. :3 But I was reading way back yesterday and realized I got weeks/months and whatnot mixed up with moons quite a lot~ D: Sorry 'bout that! The Clan cats don't know what weeks or months are, but the rogues do... I guess? xDD Anyway, thankies for reading! *glomps***

**Macey-the-Invisible: *really loud, dramatic GASP* EGADS! Your review made me giggle! :D *randomly cries, then randomly shrieks* :D I KNOW! Ahh, so much drama! :O Yay, Nincs! NINCS, NIGHTFALL! x3 And after your comment about cats being people, I've been imagining all sorts of characters as humans... x3 Like for Mourn, I imagine him to have a baggy white t-shirt and baggy white-ish jeans, scruffy snow-white hair that ends like half-way down his neck, a long tail and big, puppy dog-like amber eyes. xD Yay! Oh, and blush. He must have blush. xD *cheers***

**Dreamwish: Thankies! *glomp!tackles* Hope you enjoy~ 8D**

**Recap: It's a sunny day, and Nightfall is nervously awaiting when they will put their plan forth. She talks to a few cats, one of them including Rainwhisker, who, in his own way, apologizes for his actions. Ross had told her and Mourn that the latter shall take Firestar and Brackenfur to the WindClan border, telling them that Onestar and Ashfoot await them there. Then, Nightfall and Ross will follow them without being seen, and then strike. Soon, night falls, and Mourn does as instructed. Nightfall and Ross begin their trip, but, seeing Nightfall's torn feelings, Ross offers that they wait a bit before going through with this. But the she-cat shakes her head, telling him they must act now.**

**Hey, all, hop on my lil' bandwagon and get ready for a bumpy ride!**

Chapter 18

_When it's Over_

Neither of us spoke a word as we continued on through the forest. The storm was getting worse; the rain was harder, the thunder louder, the flashes of lightning more frequent. By that time, my pelt was getting quite soaked-- it brought me back to what seemed like so long ago, when I went hunting with Kano, Scarlet and Tika... and just barely escaped with my life. I wondered what they were all doing right then-- I wondered what _Dire_ was doing. Perhaps he was looking up at the sky, his eyes half-closed as he pondered when one of us would arrive to give the news. And Badger... Was she thinking about Mourn? What about Sapphire? I could imagine her settling uncomfortably in a nest, trying to shut the sound of rain from her ears and the thought of _us_ in any kind of danger from her mind.

As we passed through trees and clumps of fern and bracken, I could vaguely catch the scent of Firestar, Brackenfur, and my brother. I wondered how he was doing-- was he leading them somberly on, his head bent and his ears flattened? He was probably staring at his paws, barely watching where he was going. Yes, I could see him doing just that.

The other ThunderClan cats were probably all asleep, dreaming their happy little dreams. _No,_ I thought to myself, trying anxiously to think... well, poorly of them. _They aren't good cats._ So why was I so doubtful?

I felt so... conflicted. But I knew what I had to do. I could and I would fulfill this mission I was sent on. I wouldn't let my band down. I wouldn't let Ross down. I found myself glancing down at my paws; I'd never actually killed a cat before. Badgers and foxes were a much different matter-- this time, I would actually take away a life like mine.

I remember saying something a long time ago. That's right-- "Perspective is everything." What kind of idiotic statement is that? As I walked through the darkness, Ross at my side, I thought glumly to myself, _Murder is still murder, isn't it?_ I scolded my younger self-- and the worst part is, it was only a matter of weeks ago that I'd come to such a conclusion. In situations like these, who the hell cares about _perspective?_

"We're getting close to WindClan territory," the tom next to me murmured, his eyes narrowing. "Are you ready, Nightfall?" I paused a moment and closed my eyes, reluctantly nodded.

"Yeah," I said quietly. "I'm ready." The ground was growing grassier, and the amount of trees was thinning. On top of that, the scents of the cats we were pursuing were getting stronger. Mourn must have stopped them by now-- I could imagine him stammering something like, "E-Er, I don't exactly remember where they were..." or "S-Sorry! T-They're around here... somewhere...?" I smiled just a bit at my imaginary situations. My brother could be pretty adorable when he wanted to be.

Another flash of lightning; up ahead, I could see where the three cats stood for just a second before we went back into darkness. I felt my heart begin to pound and I looked up at the sky-- a raindrop fell in my eye. I held back a growl and remembered that walk Thornclaw and I had taken. I chuckled to myself when I remembered our little laughfest. We hadn't talked much since then... I felt sort of bad. And when the sudden realization of the fact that he could be _killed_ tonight came over me, I flattened my ears.

Suddenly, Ross stopped, pressing himself against one of the last trees before the moors began. I stood beside him, glancing around the corner to see them stand still. I could barely tell who was who in the darkness and rain, but soon figured out the shape of Mourn as he was probably thinking up an excuse. I looked at Ross; he nodded slowly. I swallowed and nodded back. This was really it, wasn't it? Another loud crack of thunder sounded, and the black and white tom raced out. I ran after him, approaching the three cats. My brother spotted us and jumped in surprise while Ross leaped at Firestar before he even realized what was going on. The orange tom was pinned to the ground, and I-- after a few moments of hesitation-- lunged at Brackenfur. He hissed in shock and after a short struggle, I held him firmly to the ground, a paw at his throat. He looked up at me, his eyes wide, but Firestar spoke before he could.

"Darkwhisker?" he coughed, slowly craning his head to look around. "Duskfeather? What is this...?"

"They were right, you know," Ross murmured, his voice just barely audible over the rain. Lightning flashed again, clearly illuminating the scene for just a few seconds. "Ashfur and Rainwhisker were right."

The leader struggled to get up, but Mourn reluctantly came over to help Ross keep him to the ground. I saw the white cat's amber eyes close as he turned away. He flattened his ears, as if trying to block the ginger cat's voice from his head in guilt.

"What are you...?" Then, Firestar's green eyes went wide. "You mean you _did_ kill Graystripe!?"

"No," Ross replied quickly. Beneath me, Brackenfur was trying desperately to free himself, but I managed to hold him down. "No, we never touched Graystripe. You have our word on that. But... They were right about us being traitors."

Firestar stared at him for a moment before, his eyes wide as if he had been called a name that hurt his feelings. "Why?" he whispered.

"Because we were sent on a mission to kill you and Brackenfur," Ross said coolly, "and then take over ThunderClan."

"Who asked you?" demanded the leader, his eyes narrowing as he pulled his lips back. "Was it Blackstar? Did _he _put you up to this?"

"I assure you, it wasn't anybody from any of the Clans." The black and white tom lifted his head to the dark sky, rain still pouring steadily. "...Because after we succeed in killing everyone in ThunderClan, we're moving on to the other Clans. We're taking the lake back." Suddenly, Ross's eyes were narrowed to slits and he snarled, "Did you know that this lake was already taken when you arrived? That it was _our_ home?" He lashed out a paw, whacking Firestar across the face and slicing his cheek. I winced and stared at them in shock. Brackenfur wildly thrashed about, desperate to help Firestar. I could imagine how hard this was for him, watching his leader being beaten around and not able to do a thing about it. The golden-brown warrior almost freed himself in my brief moment of lost thoughts, but I quickly pinned him back down.

"What do you want?" whispered Firestar, glancing up at Ross with something like fear in his eyes. The latter chuckled darkly; I'd never seen him act so cruelly.

"We want our old home back. And the only way we plan to achieve that is by killing you and all the rest of the Clans."

"No," Firestar rasped, his eyes widening. "Don't. Please, don't hurt my Clanmates. Don't hurt Sandstorm, don't hurt my kits... Darkwhisker, please, I--"

"My name is Ross," he interrupted. The orange cat stared at him for just a moment before Ross suddenly backed up, lashing his claws down the cat's stomach. I gaped and turned away, hearing Firestar's horrible cries of agony as Ross took another fatal blow, and another. Mourn stood there, frozen as he could only stare at the scene.

"No!" yelled Brackenfur. "Firestar!" It was only after the screaming had stopped that I dared turn around. What used to be ThunderClan's leader was now a dark heap as Ross stood over him, looking down emotionlessly. Every single one of his lives had been ripped away from him. My brother took a few small steps back, nearly falling to the ground-- he looked too shook up to even speak. Lightning flashed, and in that one flash I got a better look. My eyes grew huge at what I saw-- blood was everywhere, and... I can't describe the scene in full detail. Had I, you'd wish I hadn't. Yes, it was just like in that story from long ago that Leafpool had told me, when Scourge killed the nine-lived Tigerstar with a deadly blow to the stomach.

"Nightfall, kill him," Ross growled, glaring at me and the deputy. His eyes were burning with such a fire, and... I couldn't believe that this was the same cat I had comforted on the beach a few days earlier. The same cat who let his tail rest on my shoulder, telling me that everything would be alright. No, this was a very different Ross.

I looked down at Brackenfur, who still had his eyes glued on his now dead leader. He slowly looked up at me, a mixture of defiance and fright in his gaze. He had seen what Ross could do, and yet part of him still wanted to defend himself, defend ThunderClan. The others would be honored.

He looked around at each one of us, and then back to me. We stared at each other for a moment before he finally closed his eyes, as if... giving up. Part of me wanted to snarl in his face, telling him that he, like anybody else, should _never_ give up until the very end. But even had he escaped from _me,_ it would only be a matter of time before Ross caught him and gave him the same brutal fate as Firestar. Still, it... It hurt to see him submit so easily.

"Brackenfur," I whispered, closing my eyes. I felt my legs tremble a bit. I slowly opened my eyes and looked at him. "I-I..." I, still shaking frightfully, swallowed and leaned down, ready to bite into his throat.

...But I pulled away. I just stared at him, and he opened his eyes to return the gaze. "I can't do this," I muttered, glancing at Ross and not backing down to his intimidating self. He narrowed his amber eyes and hissed, "If you're loyal to the band, then _kill him."_ I pulled my lips back slightly, but after a moment, I flattened my ears and hung my head. There was no way out of this. If I didn't kill this cat now, I'd probably be killed myself. Not by Ross, but by Dire. Surely he would see me as a traitor? And even if I didn't kill Brackenfur, he would still die anyway. Ross was right behind me, ready to finish it if he had to. Life really isn't too fair, is it?

I let out a sigh and turned back to the golden tabby. "Brackenfur," I murmured, closing my eyes and bowing slightly. "I-I'm... I'm sorry." I didn't give him time to say another word; I quickly leaned down and clenched my jaws around his neck. The warrior gasped and his eyes flew open-- but he wasn't alive long. After a few moments, I lifted up my head. He was dead, his eyes still open. I spat out a bit of blood and took my paw, shutting his eyes before stumbling back.

I had just killed a cat.

I flattened my ears and inclined my head, trembling. I guess whatever part of StarClan I'd actually come to believe in would never forgive me now, would they? Ross walked over to me, and I felt him rest his tail on my back. At that point, I would have pulled away, but my paws wouldn't move. We just stood there in the rain, the thunder rumbling in the background.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he lifted his tail and took a step back. "Nightfall, would you please go and find the rest of our band and tell them we're ready? Mourn and I will find a place to bury Firestar and Brackenfur; we'll be back at the camp before you, so don't worry." I looked at him for a moment and realized that he really was doing me a favor. As much as I wasn't exactly looking forward to running for miles in the rain, I'd rather do this then deal with the bodies of the cats we'd just murdered. I nodded stiffly, still unable to talk, and finally managed to run off, heading into the direction of our band.

I raced through the trees, my amber eyes wide. I let my paws take me wherever they went, I really wasn't thinking. My mind was only on the scene that had just unfolded before me. I headed towards the edge of ThunderClan territory-- the clearing we started in wouldn't be too far from there. I paused a minute and let out a few coughs, lifting my head. I felt drenched to the bone with water, but surprisingly, the storm was dying down. The thunder didn't boom as often, and it wasn't as loud. Even the rain was beginning to slow. I leaned over and panted, imagining Ross and Mourn as they dragged Firestar and Brackenfur's bodies off to be buried. At least they _were_ getting buried. _Or maybe Ross will just decide to dump them in the stream,_ I thought bitterly, beginning to carry on.

Suddenly, through the smell of spring rain, I could scent a cat. I froze, my fur fluffing out, and glanced around warily. A minute later, Squirrelflight came out of a clump of bushes, appearing to be looking around for something. When she saw me, she jumped a little in surprise. I quickly looked down at my pelt, and realized thankfully that the rain had washed away any blood stuck into my fur.

"Duskfeather?" the warrior squeaked, tilting her head as she trotted over to me. Her green eyes sparkled just a bit in the darkness.

"Squirrelflight," I breathed. "What're you doing out here?"

"Well," she replied, laughing a little in embarrassment, "Brambleclaw said he needed to, well, _go,_ but he didn't come back after a while. I thought maybe he got lost." She smiled slightly and shook her head, as if, in her mind, she was scolding the tom. "So what're _you_ doing here, Duskfeather?" I swallowed.

"I'm playing hide and seek with Snowclaw, actually." The she-cat stared at me.

"...What?"

"Yeah, it's funny," I said, giving a weak laugh. "Darkwhisker dared me and Snowclaw to play hide and seek out here at night."

"But the last time I saw Snowclaw, he was taking Firestar and Brackenfur to the WindClan border."

"I ran into him on his way back," I said quickly. "And that's when we started to play!" Squirrelflight looked at me, blinking a few times.

"Alright, then. Well, I'm gonna keep looking for Brambleclaw. Have fun with your game of... err, hide and seek!" I smiled awkwardly and nodded.

"Thanks. Good luck with finding Brambleclaw...!" Squirrelflight grinned and batted me on the ear before trotting away. I watched as she left and took a deep breath before I continued on.

I had calmed down a bit; I actually think my encounter with Squirrelflight had helped soothe my nerves. I broke into a run, blinking raindrops from my eyes, pausing every few minutes to shake my pelt (it never did much good, though). It was only a matter of time before I could tell that I was getting close to the ThunderClan border; I could smell their scent markers. When I reached the line, I froze, looking out into the dark, rainy forest. My limbs shook just a bit in fatigue and wariness; this would be the first time I've seen the band in quite a while. They weren't too far beyond where I stood. I blinked slowly and carefully took my first few steps beyond ThunderClan territory. And then, I broke into another run.

I kept racing through the woods, the seconds passing by turning to minutes. My aching muscles protested with each stride I took, telling me to stop and rest. But I couldn't, not when Mourn and Ross were still out there waiting to be found out. Relaxation would have to wait.

Finally, I allowed myself to slow into a walk. I looked around, beginning to recognize certain landmarks. A peculiar tree, a particular set of rocks... I was getting close. Very close.

And then-- a dense clump of bracken bushes, circling around a clearing. _The_ clearing. I hesitated a moment; my heart, for some reason, was pounding again. I flicked an ear, took in a deep breath, and pushed my way through the bracken.

There weren't many cats about; most must have been in their dens. It was just as I remembered it to be, with maybe a few fallen branches cleared out of the way. I squinted my eyes, seeing one cat sitting in the middle of the glade, his head pointed at the sky. After a moment, realization hit me-- _Dire._

"Dire," I murmured, my voice cracking a bit as I stumbled over to him. He turned his head and looked at me, immediately getting to his paws when he realized just who had called his name.

"Nightfall! You're back! What do you have to report?"

"We're ready," I panted, avoiding his gaze and looking at the ground. "Firestar and Brackenfur... Err, ThunderClan's leader and deputy... are dead." My leader stared at me, his lips curling up into a tiny, satisfied smile.

"Excellent work, Nightfall. And Mourn and Ross...?"

"They're fine. They're taking care of the bodies..." The dark brown tabby nodded, getting to his feet. He lifted his head and puffed out his chest, reminding me, for a moment, of Firestar.

"Everybody, gather outside immediately!" After a few moments, the first of the cats walked outside from their dens, muttering curses groggily and wondering what on earth was going on. I pricked my ears when I saw Sapphire, who was tiredly heaving herself from the den. She looked up and our eyes met. Once the gray she-cat realized who I was, her entire face lit up.

_"Nightfall!"_ She, now wide awake, ran towards me and leaped, bowling me onto the ground. I laughed and looked up at her as she stood over me, grinning widely. "You're back!"

"Yeah," I meowed, getting to my paws and batting her gently on the head. She laughed excitedly and spun around in a little circle. "I can't believe your back! We missed you so much!" I heard as the crowd of cats began to see me, murmuring surprised expressions. I was soon surrounded by a mob, being bombarded with questions such as "How was it?" "Did you kill ThunderClan's leader?" "Did it all work out?" "What about Ross and Mourn?"

"Silence!" bellowed Dire, stepping forward. "All of your questions will be answered later. Nightfall has returned to tell us that it is time to launch our attack against ThunderClan. We will kill as many of their cats as we can, and we will take the few survivors prisoner. We will not have much time between attacks, so be careful to stay in fighting shape." I looked around the crowd; most of them were still staring at me in disbelief that I was finally back. I spotted Badger; the pretty black and white cat smiled kindly at me.

"Nightfall," Dire spoke, resting his gaze on me. "If you could accompany me to the front of the crowd... You know exactly where the camp is, so you ought to be a leader." I bowed my head slightly, silently walking to the head of the throng. He nodded to me and we began leading the group back into the forest, back into ThunderClan territory. I sighed and bowed my head, thinking of the Clan. They had no idea that we were coming. Not a clue. And I dreaded to see what the looks on their faces would be when they'd find out we really _were _spies.

Badger trotted up to me and nudged me a bit, breaking me out of my daydream.

"Hi, Badger," I murmured, trying to be friendly and happy. She frowned.

"Nightfall, are you alright?" I nodded stiffly, giving her a lopsided smile.

"Perfectly fine." She smiled, obviously believing me right away.

"That's good. Nightfall, I was wondering about Mourn... Is he... alright?"

"Of course," I purred hoarsely. "He's perfect. He's been missing you though-- talks about you all the time." Badger perked up, grinning.

"Really? I'm so glad he's alright... I can't wait to see him after all this battling is over!" I smiled slightly, but looked away.

"Yeah," I replied quietly. "Once it's all over."

_Well,_ I thought to myself as we walked through the rainy darkness, _here we go. My last moments as a ThunderClan cat have passed. My last moments as the warrior named Duskfeather._

Behind me, cats were chatting excitedly about the battle, about winning back our home.

If only they had even a single clue.

**Oh, no, here they go~ Let's see what'll happen!**

**Review and get a... Firestar plushie. With angel wings and a halo~ :'3 I love CC!**

**Till next time!**

**Pearls**


	19. Chapter 19: Compassion

**Hey, guys! I know it's been a little while since I've updated. I've been very busy; my classes are hard and full of work, and the play I'm in goes up next week. I might not update as quickly as I have been, but I'll try~! 8D**

**Review Replies: **

**Macey-the-Invisible: Nuuu! D: *sulks sadly* Come back to liiife, Macceeeey~! D8 *weeps* I-I'm sorry! But it had to be done! T_T If it makes ya feel any better, Firestar will still appear a few more times throughout the story, though unfortunately no freakish twist of StarClan magic brought him back to life. :( They tried, though! Cekoraw, cekoraw, cekoraw... *glomps***

**LittleSpark: Heehee! Believe it or not, I did a few times myself xD Thankies for reading! *glomples***

**.Energy: Well, here you go, Darkeh~! *winkwink* Teehee :3 *glomptackles!***

**EeveeCelebi749: ...Really? :'3 D'aww... you make me happeh~ *glomples* Thankies for readin', Eeves! x3**

**bookluver24: 8D Thankies! Here's the next chapter, as you wished~ x3 *huggles***

**Katie Ladmoore: Heehee lawl. x3 I have no idea how hide and seek popped into my head. :D And yay, thankies for the compliments! :3 *glomps***

**LegendaryHero: Eh heh heh~ ^-^'' No, you're right, though. I looked back and there were definitely places where I could have slowed it down a bit. I guess I got so caught up in it that I just wanted to keep typing. xD If you have any personal suggestions on how to make it seemed less rushed, feel free to lemme know~ And as for the end of the story~ *thinks* I'm kind of just throwing out a guess here, but maybe... Five or six more chapters...? Could be more, though probably not any less. :3 I've still got lots and lots planned! 8D**

**Warriors-Skywing: Iknowright D: *glomps* Thankies for readin'~ ^-^**

**Hitashi: Here ya go. :3 Thankies for reading!**

**Revriley: Heehee, well, Cloudie and Longie are just awesome. 8D And yay, I'm excited, too! xD Thankies as always! *glomptackles!***

**Chat et Chocolat: Heehee, s'okay! And here you go~ *gives you a bag of POPPED CORNS* :3 RainwhiskerXNightfall? Really? 8D Well, I guess it could've happened. :3 That sure woulda been interesting~ Unfortunately... *glances at the chapter she just wrote* D: Your mentioning Hakuna Matata made it now stuck in my head. Thanks a lot. xD I giggled at your re-naming of Dire. Desire! xD Now we just gotta put him in a pink tutu. x:3 *snickers evilly* I LOVE HOW YOU SAY OHMIGALLOPINGHORSE~ xD I laugh every time I see it! 8D Aww, your brother isn't adorable? x3 Well, not all brothers are, unfortunately. D: AND EGADS *protects computer so Apphie can't slobber chocolate on it* Nuu, don't kill yourself! Here! *offers her chapter 19* :3 ? *glomps***

**Shiningspirit: What's with the French, you ask? Well... It's an awesome language, of course! 8D Merci for reading! *glomps***

**Recap: Nightfall and Ross follow Mourn, Firestar and Brackenfur deep into the forest as it begins to storm. Nightfall and Ross attack, revealing that they were never truly part of ThunderClan. Ross kills Firestar with a few blows to the stomach, and Nightfall reluctantly manages to kill Brackenfur. While Ross and Mourn take care of the bodies, Nightfall goes back to the band and leads them back to ThunderClan, dreading the outcome of what is about to unfold.**

**Oh, before I forget...**

**BOOKLUVER24!**

**YOU ARE MY 100TH REVIEWER~! 8DDD I never ever expected this many reviews! *glomps Bookluver, balloons coming down, and then glomps everyone* Thank you guys so much for reading and staying with me for so long~! 8D I love you all so much! :'3 *weeps***

Chapter 19

_Compassion_

There's one more story that I remember from when I was very young. When I was still just a small kitten, when my mother was still alive, and when we still lived around the lake.

I had been sitting in the stone hollow-- what was now the ThunderClan camp-- watching as my brother prodded a fat pine cone about. My eyes were huge with excitement, my tail lashing. I wanted that pine cone to myself. So I ran up to Mourn, giving him a harsh (though still very weak) shove, grabbing the toy with my teeth and running off. Mourn had watched as I left, his eyes wide with dismay, his tail drooping.

"Nightfall," cooed my mother Schala as she quietly approached me after a minute. I was now happily batting the pine cone about, lost in my own little world. "Nightfall!" she said, a bit louder. I looked up, the silly toy in my mouth.

"Wha?" I replied, my voice muffled through the pine cone. I dropped it on the ground and glared at her impatiently.

"That was very rude to take Mourn's pine cone," she told me, sitting down beside me. She tried to put her tail around my shoulder, but I scooted over before she could. Sensing a scolding, I flattened my ears and turned my head away irritably.

"But I wanted it," I had mumbled back, refusing to look at her. She brushed her tail below my chin, lifting my head. My eyes met with her soft blue ones, her considerate, caring, _loving_ ones.

"I just talked to Mourn," she said softly. "He said that he was going to give it to you so you could _share_. He was practicing his bats." I said nothing; I glanced over at my brother, who was watching from a distance. He gave me a tiny, hopeful smile. Feeling immediately guilty, I hung my head, no longer feeling like playing.

"I want to tell you some advice that is important to keep with you your whole life." I looked up at her silently, waiting. "...Never assume the worst in _anybody,_ Nightfall," she sighed as she got to her paws. She was looking out into the distance, suddenly wistful.

In a few minutes, me and Mourn were laughing and batting the pine cone around, trying to keep it away from each other.

I can't believe I had forgotten that story for so long. And now, as I was walking through the thin rain, the band of rogues behind me, I felt as if I'd betrayed my mother. _"I want to tell you some advice that is important to keep with you your whole life..."_

"Sorry, Schala," I murmured quietly, bowing my head and closing my eyes for a moment, opening them just in time to see a root that I would have tripped over. I looked up at the black sky. "Guess I should've listened."

Another roll of thunder was heard softly in the distance-- the last one, I was guessing. The rain was so light it was almost like mist now, bringing me back to that one day just shortly after we had joined ThunderClan. It had been just like this... "You like the rain, too, huh?" Cloudtail had asked me, looking up at the sky. "Although it's more like mist, now." I had smiled and nodded politely.

But that was before, and this was now. I needed to forget about them-- what was I to do now, anyway? And as much as I dreaded having to harm ThunderClan, my loyalties were still firmly set with the band. But not to Dire, not to Ross-- but to Sapphire, to Badger, to _Mourn._ My leader glanced sideways at me as he walked alongside me. He looked a bit curious, and I quickly feigned excitement. When he looked away, I let out a sharp sigh.

We reached the ThunderClan border. I could have stopped to announce it, but I didn't bother. They must have been able to scent these new cats for themselves.

"How far is their camp from here?" Dire asked me. "We're getting close, aren't we? I'm beginning to recognize these woods."

"It won't be long now," I murmured in reply. "We're in their territory. We just need to find their camp."

I imagined what Ross and Mourn were doing at that moment. They had probably been dragging the bodies for quite some time, as far away from camp as they could. I could picture Mourn as he took Brackenfur by the scruff, glancing back at his corpse uneasily about every three seconds. He was probably disgusted and sickened by all the blood, probably swallowing every now and then and trying to keep the bile down. I doubted that Ross was paying too much mind to him; his eyes were probably narrowed, thinking that he just wanted to get this done with. I remembered meeting Squirrelflight in the woods not long ago, and I shuddered at the thought of her happening to spot them. And what about Brambleclaw? She'd been looking for him, hadn't she?

I felt Sapphire brush against me, and I lifted my head to meet her gaze. She looked almost sorrowful; her blue eyes were shimmering with something like sympathy. She moved her lips closer to my ear and whispered, "You care for them, don't you?" I blinked softly.

"Who?" I mumbled, focusing back on the path in front of me, every step I took stiff with wariness and anxiety.

"You know who," she sighed. "ThunderClan. Even I can tell that you're reluctant to go through with this. I mean, look at you-- dragging your paws, your tail drooping--"

"Quiet," I hissed, glancing at Dire. It didn't seem as if he had heard: he was now talking to Maxwell.

"Well?" prodded Sapphire. "You don't want to hurt them, do you?" I clenched my jaws together, suppressing a growl.

"I'm loyal to the band," I replied rigidly. Neither of us spoke for a few minutes.

"...Did I hear you talking to Schala?" she suddenly asked, causing me to jump a bit in surprise.

"What are you--"

"'I'm sorry, Schala,'" Sapphire murmured, thoughtful. "'Guess I should've listened...?"

I felt my fur beginning to rise; she was pushing it. But I swallowed, not wanting to start an argument. Not now, not here. "You heard that?"

"Did you see her?" the older cat asked. I opened my mouth, but found myself at a loss for words.

"Did I _see_ her...?" I blinked a few times. No, I hadn't seen her. Not since I was a kitten. Why was Sapphire suddenly so interested? "No," I sighed. "I didn't. Why? Did you?"

"No," she admitted. She paused, looking as if she was contemplating whether or not to continue. "But... I did see someone else. Someone who's dead." I looked at her for a moment before I lashed my tail.

"Quit pulling my chain, Sapphire," I growled. "Ghosts don't exist."

"He was a ginger cat," she continued, her voice rising. "A beautiful pelt. And emerald eyes. He had a faint glow around him; I knew he was a spirit when I saw him. At first, I thought I was going crazy. No one around me could see him. But... He spoke to me, Nightfall. He told me to deliver a message to you."

I felt my legs begin to tremble. A beautiful ginger tom with green eyes? ...Oh, StarClan...

"He says he forgives you," she murmured, my heart pounding steadily. "And that Brackenfur forgives you, too. What could that mean, I wonder...?" By now, I had stopped in my tracks, causing a few cats behind me to bump into me and tell me to watch where I'm going. I stared at the ground; the rain had completely stopped now. The thick clouds overhead were beginning to part, revealing a few sparkling stars and a waning moon. I found myself shaking uncontrollably, and only then did I lift my head, my amber eyes wide.

"...Firestar...?" I whispered, unsure. If Sapphire could see him, why couldn't I? A sudden urge grew inside me, a _longing--_ I _needed_ to see him one last time. Maybe I could explain this whole thing, that though at first I wanted to go through with this, I began to love ThunderClan.

"Nightfall?" I heard Dire's voice call. The whole crowd had passed me, leaving me behind. I stood alone, looking around, desperate.

"Firestar," I called again, a bit louder this time. Sapphire was running back to find me, but I hadn't noticed. I was now staring at the faint, barely visible shape of a handsome tom, watching with dread and hope and fright as he stepped closer. He was becoming more clear-- it certainly _was_ him. Without a doubt. He now stood before me, looking even more magnificent than he'd ever had. Throughout his pelt were tiny sparkles of light, and his fur blew majestically in the wind. There was a dim glow outlining his body, and he slowly blinked his green eyes as we stood facing each other.

"Firestar," I breathed, blinking a few times. This was a dream, wasn't it? Maybe I'll wake up and nothing will have ever happened. Maybe I'd have another chance, a chance to do it right and solve things without violence.

But I knew deep down that that was impossible. This was all very real, and nothing could be reversed now. We were wading in too deep a tide.

"Nightfall," Sapphire said, standing beside me and studying my dumbfounded expression. "What're you looking at? C'mon, we're falling behind." I glanced at her before quickly looking back at Firestar.

"She can't see me now," he murmured, sitting down and wrapping his tail around his paws. He smiled gently, somewhat regretfully.

"What's going on?" I breathed, taking a tiny step back. "Am I going insane...?" At that point, it was a very real possibility. But the leader shook his head, giving a small laugh.

"No, you're not insane, Duskfeather. Don't worry." He shifted his position a bit and studied me. "Or should I say, 'Nightfall'?"

"I'm sorry," I murmured, shaking my head a bit. "I... It's true, it was all a lie... All of us... We wanted to kill you so badly, to take back our home... But..."

"But you grew to love ThunderClan," the tom murmured, his eyes closed. I hung my head, feeling ashamed to look at him. Finally, I lifted my gaze, mustering the courage to ask, "Where's Brackenfur?"

"He's with StarClan right now," he replied, getting to his paws. "He can't see you at the moment. But he will soon." My heart pounded; seeing Brackenfur was the last thing I wanted. How could I stand and stare at the cat I'd killed?

"No," I murmured. "No, I--"

"Didn't Sapphire give you my message?" Firestar smiled slightly. "Brackenfur forgives you. He's not angry with you and does not wish for any sort of vengeance." He flicked his tail, looking out into the dark forest. "You should go catch up with the rest of your band. All I can do for ThunderClan now is watch over them and wish for their safety."

"You... said something before you died," I said quietly. "You told us not to hurt Sandstorm and your kits." I narrowed my eyes a bit and gave him a brief nod. "I'll keep them safe. I promise." The spirit grinned a little and returned the gesture.

"I appreciate it, Nightfall... StarClan be with you." It was then that Firestar began to fade, thinning into the air until he was completely gone. I heaved out a sigh and turned to see Sapphire staring at me; I'd nearly forgotten that she was there.

"Nightfall," she murmured. "Are you... alright?" There was a bit of worry and fear mingled in her voice. Maybe I really was going crazy.

"I saw him," I whispered as I began to walk after the others. "Thanks for delivering the message, Sapphire." The she-cat stared after me, slightly baffled, before she scampered up to my side.

It wasn't long until we reached the camp. I was back in the lead, Dire right beside me as we approached the brambles surrounding the hollow.

"Here it is," I murmured. I swallowed nervously, but tried to hide my unease. "We have to enter through a certain tunnel, or else we could end up falling."

"Lead the way," the dark brown cat replied. I bit my lip and dipped my head.

I silently took the others to the opening. I poked my head through, looking down at the stone clearing. It was still the dead of night, and most everyone was asleep. I noticed that there was no one standing guard-- were Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw _still_ out in the forest? What were they doing together, anyway?

I couldn't bear the thought of actually leading the other rogues into battle, so I stepped back and let Dire do the honors. Sapphire let her tail rest on my shoulder, and I closed my eyes, uttering a quick prayer to StarClan.

This was it-- the end of the line for ThunderClan, and only the beginning for us.

I'm sorry, Sandstorm. I'm sorry, Cloudtail, Whitepaw, Leafpool, Squirrelflight.

Rainwhisker, Ashfur, Birchpaw.

Firestar, Brackenfur.

Thornclaw.

Thornclaw...

"_Attack!"_ Dire suddenly yowled, a few battle cries following after. Cats began to rush past me as they followed their leader, but my paws wouldn't move. Sapphire stood by me and finally gave me a sad nod before trailing on after them. I was the last one to slip through the bramble entrance and skid down the rock walls.

Some of the rogues immediately went for the dens, but many ThunderClanners managed to escape out into the open. The Clan cats gasped and shrieked and shouted in confusion as two very different forces met. And then, there was battle all around me. I looked around, and let out a sigh of relief to see Mourn safe and sound. His amber eyes were huge and he rushed over to me, his fur standing on end.

"N-N-Nightfall," he stammered, glancing around in horror. "They're all... fighting... Everyone..." He was shaking horridly, and I pressed myself firmly against him-- not only to comfort _him, _but to comfort myself as well. I looked down at my paws.

Suddenly, an ear-piercing cry was heard, and my brother was suddenly knocked to the ground. My eyes widening, I could tell in the faint starlight that it was Rainwhisker, his eyes blazing violently.

"So it was true!" he snarled, pinning Mourn down and putting his claws to his throat. My brother whimpered and struggled to free himself, but to no avail. "You really are _traitors!"_

I stared at the two of them, in a daze, when suddenly I was brought back to earth. I began forward to help Mourn, but stopped in my tracks when the warrior growled, "One more step and he's dead." The white tom was shaking, looking at me with a pleading gaze and waiting for my help.

"Let go of him," I said quietly, unsheathing my claws. "Don't you dare lay one tooth on him." Rainwhisker narrowed his eyes and dug his claws deeply into Mourn's shoulders, causing the latter to give a yelp of pain.

"I was always suspicious of you," Rainwhisker growled, letting his claws sink deeper into my brother's skin. "Ever since day one. I knew you weren't ordinary loners. There was something different about you." He lifted his head, his teeth clenched together and his eyes burning as wildly as I've ever seen a cat's eyes to burn. He suddenly leaned down and went for Mourn's throat, his jaws snapping around his neck.

"Mourn!" I gasped, running forward to help-- but I was too late. ...In the sense that he already had a helper.

A black and white shape lunged himself at the ThunderClanner, knocking him over. Ross. Of course.

The two tussled for a bit, snarling as Rainwhisker threw out insults. I rushed over to my brother, who was coughing a bit of blood as he stumbled to his feet.

"Mourn," I breathed worriedly. "Are you alright?" He looked at me and nodded shakily; I hurriedly examined his wound and was relieved to find out that Rainwhisker's teeth hadn't had the chance to go in too deeply.

"F-Fine," he stuttered, the wind knocked out of him. I looked over to see how Ross was doing; he was standing over the dark shape of Rainwhisker. I blinked several times and walked over to them.

"Is he... dead?" I asked. Ross looked at me, his muzzle red with blood and his eyes half-closed. I didn't need to ask again. The former warrior lay with his mouth and eyes wide open, as if killed during one last snarl of defiance. He'd been killed quickly, I knew, and I was grateful for that. I sighed and turned, not having the desire to study the body.

Fighting still went on all around, and it was clear that we were winning. A few cats' bodies already littered the ground; Spiderleg, Dustpelt, even Mousefur had been killed... I looked away, feeling as if I'd betrayed them. Which, of course, I had.

I gasped when I suddenly felt claws sear across my pelt, and I whirled around to see Ashfur glaring at me. Blood seeped from a few already present scratches, and he was breathing a bit awkwardly... but it was clear that he wasn't done yet.

"You piece of foxdung," he growled, stepping closer. "Right when I'd finally begun to trust you, you stab us in the back. Look around, Duskfeather. Your little gang is _killing_ us. Are you proud of that!?"

"No," I growled, feeling, for some reason, furious. "You think I'm _proud?_ I didn't want this. Any of it."

"I don't believe you," the warrior whispered before pouncing towards me. I leaped out of the way, but the tom was quick-- he landed on his paws and quickly bounced back at me, this time knocking me to the ground. He lashed his claws across my face, and I yowled, blinded for a moment as blood from my forehead dripped into my eyes. He reared up, preparing to strike a blow to my stomach, but I kicked out my legs and sent him stumbling back. I leaped to my paws, shaking my head quickly. We faced each other; I waited for him to strike. When he did, I jumped for him at the same time, both of us colliding in midair and falling to the hard ground. I managed to pin him down, and he looked up at me, the disgust clear in his expression.

"I suppose you're going to kill me now, aren't you?" he hissed. I looked at him before shaking my head.

"I don't plan on killing anyone here," I murmured, taking a step back and letting him up. He got to his paws, looking at me, nonplussed. "Go find someone else to do it for you," I said quietly, turning away. I half-expected him to attack again, but when I looked over my shoulder, he was gone, back into the crowd.

ThunderClan was wearing thin, and I believe that it had now become clear to all of them that their leader and deputy weren't about to appear to rescue them. The clouds above were almost all gone, giving us, at the very least, a glorious silver light to battle and murder in.

I made my way through the crowd, everyone else oblivious as they fought for their lives. I passed by two bodies, and I examined them to find out that they were, to my intense horror, Daisy and Sorreltail. I can't believe that the band I'd grown to love would kill queens, not to mention kits and elders. I stumbled backwards, my eyes wide. There was blood everywhere I turned, and I think that it was starting to get to me. I felt as if I'd be sick, as if I'd throw up right there. My stomach lurched and I forced myself to look away.

And then, I saw him. Thornclaw, fighting against none other than Dire. My eyes grew wide and I found myself walking forward. The ThunderClanner was now laying on the ground, panting and covered with blood as he struggled to get up. Dire only had a few minor scratches in comparison, and he now stood over him, getting ready to deliver the final blow.

And I stood there, thinking... _What the hell am I supposed to do _now?

"Dire, stop!" I yowled and raced forward, leaping in front of Thornclaw. I faced my leader and swallowed, wondering just what it was that I was doing. What was I hoping for?

"Nightfall, what are you doing?" Dire growled, his eyes narrowed. "Don't interfere with this."

"Dire, please," I murmured. "Don't kill him. You can't. He's crippled." I swallowed. "Don't you think it's a bit cruel to kill a _cripple?"_ I glanced over my shoulder at the wounded Thornclaw; our eyes met, his wide with confusion. _Go with it,_ I tried to tell him with my expression. He just stared at me, utterly shocked, and it occurred to me that he must not have known that I was part of the rogues until now.

"A cripple, you say?" Dire echoed loosely. "Because he fought quite well. It's hard to imagine that a healthy young cat like him could possibly be crippled." I sighed, my tail drooping.

"Dire, please. I... I owe this cat my life. Just spare him, that's all I ask." He studied me, and for a moment I thought that he would refuse. That he would kill him-- or, worse, he'd make _me_ kill him.

But to my surprise, he nodded. "I see that you care a lot about this tom," he murmured thoughtfully. He finally nodded. "I see. In that case, he shall remain a prisoner of our band." My eyes grew wide and a smile managed to break through my expression.

"Thank you," I whispered, relaxing quite a bit. I looked once more at Dire-- there wasn't only ambition in his soul after all. There was also good, just as there is in every cat.

I turned around and walked over to Thornclaw, leaning down and quickly licking a wound across the top of his head.

"Are you alright?" I asked quietly, but he pulled away and stared at me. For a terrifying second, I thought that he would turn away, that he would tell me he'll never forgive me for any of this.

But those words weren't spoken. Instead, he said, "When did I ever do anything in which you owe me your life for?" I paused a moment and closed my eyes.

"...You showed me what compassion felt like." He stared at me, unable to reply. Without another word, I helped him to his paws and led him to the medicine den, oblivious to the fighting going on all around us.

**...H-How was that...? :'3 Don't really know what to say~ This was a fun-to-write chapter, though! 8D Reviewers get a Brackenfur plushie with wings and a halo, sleeping soundly and cutely. :3 I love CC~**

**By the way, I should sooo be doing my mountain of homework. Damn you, addiction to Fanfiction. *grumbles***

**Till next time, my dears~**

**Pearleh**


	20. Chapter 20: Sunrise

**Hai guys. :3 *hearts all around~!***

**Review Replies:**

**Revriley: Teehee. :3 Then I bet you'll like this chapter~ xDD Keep reading! Thankies for reading, Rev! *glomples* **

**Warriors-Skywing: Teehee, yay for love. xD Thankies for reading. :'3 *glomps***

**bookluver24: 8D Thanks, Bookie! x3 *huggles***

**EeveeCelebi749: DUDE I KNOW. T_T So sad~ D: And heehee, at least Rainwhisker's death was just a tad bit cooler than being hit by a tree like in the real series. xD And thanks for your comment about the reflective feel xD I don't want to make Nightfall turn completely angelic and good to protect the Clan, 'cause who really IS completely good? And what IS good, anyway? :3 And don't worry, there'll be lots of Cloudtail and Leafpool in this chappie. 8D Thankies for readin'! *glomples***

**Katie Ladmoore: Ha! I'm not the only one who hates Daisy! xD She's not as bad as Millie, though. *shudders* Thankies for readin'!**

**LittleSpark: You'll see~ :3 Thankies for readin'!**

**Macey-the-Invisible: Who's Gerard Butler? xD *shot* Oh well, I'll have to google him. :3 As for the complicated RossNightfallThorn love triangle, you'll just have to keep reading to find out what happens~ x:3 *dies and then comes back to life* Yay! Surematu!! 8D**

**LegendaryHero: 8D Yay~ This chapter felt much stronger to me, too. And yay, NightxThorn~! 83 Thankies for reading and reviewing, as always~! 8DD *glomps***

**Darkness is Energy: It won't let me put the periods in your name or else the world will implode, so I'm just not including them. 8D And I really don't like Firestar anymore, either-- or at least not up to what I've read, which is... Eclipse... I think? D: *shot* He used to be so cool and not completely perfect~ *sigh* Oh, wellz. And dude, Thornclaw needs a mate in the books! He's sooo alooone~ D: *sobs* Thankies for readin', Darkeh! *glomptackles!***

**Falconflight: :'D T-Thanks! *blushes* Glad you're enjoying it! And *pulls a rope and every plushie she's given out thus far falls from the ceiling, burying Falconflight* x:3**

**Hitashi: 8D Thankies! *huggles***

**Chat et Chocolat: xD This Fanfiction addiction of mine is getting to be a big problem~ D: Merci beaucoup, madamoiselle (fail spelling xD), je t'adore! :3 *glomps***

**Recap: Nightfall leads the band back to ThunderClan's camp, but on the way, she sees the spirit of Firestar. He tells her that she forgives her for what she's done, and in turn, Nightfall promises to protect Sandstorm, Leafpool and Squirrelflight. Soon, they launch the attack against ThunderClan, who is greatly outnumbered. Rainwhisker furiously confronts Nightfall and Mourn, stating that he was right about them, but Ross quickly manages to kill him. Ashfur and Nightfall fight against each other as well, but Nightfall cannot bring herself to kill him. Later on, she spots Dire fighting against the wounded Thornclaw, and she begs to Dire to let him live. Dire agrees.**

**Enjoy~! 8DD**

Chapter 20

_Sunrise_

The medicine cat was completely empty, herbs that had been stacked in neat piles toppled over in all the mayhem. Leafpool was gone; she'd probably gone out to help whoever was out fighting. Glancing quickly around, I noticed a bed of moss; it was fairly old and withering due to Leafpool's lack of recent patients, but it would have to do.

Narrowing my eyes in concentration, I helped Thornclaw over to the nest, taking small steps, one by one. He leaned against me, his breath coming out loudly and unsteadily. I could feel blood seeping from his wounds and onto my own fur, his weakened muscles as he trembled with pain. Once, I lost my footing and let his weight nearly bring me to the ground, but I quickly regained my balance, letting out a tiny hiss in surprise.

"Here," I murmured, carefully letting him down on the moss. He lay on his side, and for the first time I got a clear view of his stomach; he had a wound beginning from his chest and searing down to the middle of his belly. Blood was welling up quickly, and I winced a bit at the sight. "Are you okay?" I whispered, glancing around for anything that could help. I began sorting through several piles of herbs, my ears tilted towards him as I waited for his response.

"Y...Yeah," he breathed, shifting his position a bit and wincing at the effort. "Nothing that'll kill me..." I looked over at him to see him offer a tiny smile. I tried a smile back, but I couldn't. Not with all the shouting and screaming coming from outside.

"I found some cobwebs," I said quickly after a minute, gathering a clump in my teeth and carefully stepping back to the tom. I let myself look outside for a moment; it was still night, but morning wasn't terribly far off. In the silver light, I thought I could see Mourn running past, and possibly Sapphire's brother, Tin. It was then that I remembered, with a horrible dread that I could be too late, my promise to Firestar that I would protect his mate and daughters.

But when Thornclaw let out a soft whimper of pain, I quickly told myself to focus on what was important now. And that was helping this cat.

Cobwebs in my jaws, I clumsily began to press them against his worse wounds, trying to stop the bleeding as fast as I could. Thornclaw was clenching his teeth together in pain, but he didn't complain. The webs helped a bit, but that was really all I could do for him. He needed the help of a _real_ medicine cat, or else this all would have been for nothing.

"I have to get Leafpool," I said uneasily, stepping back. He slowly blinked his amber eyes before closing them and giving a nod.

"Thank you, Duskfeather," he whispered. I nodded briefly and turned, preparing to leave when he suddenly said, "So it's true?" I stopped in my tracks, reluctantly turning around.

"Is what true?" I asked quietly, though there really was no need. But I swallowed and waited for him to clarify nonetheless.

"You're part of those rogues," he mumbled. "You were never part of ThunderClan." I sighed and looked away, pausing a few moments before replying.

"...Yeah," I said after a while. "I'm part of the rogues, just like Darkwhisker and Snowclaw." I looked at him, and our eyes met. "...But that doesn't mean I was never truly a part of ThunderClan."

"Duskfeather--"

"I need to get Leafpool," I interrupted quickly in a painfully hushed voice, suddenly not being able to bring myself to speak with him. I clenched my eyes shut and, without another word, I raced out of the den.

Moonlight greeted me, outlining the shapes of each cat with a distinctive white glow. For a moment I just stood there in a trance. We were winning-- though I'm sure you had already assumed this. Only a few ThunderClanners still stood, their strength running dry. Thus far, there had been no casualties on our side.

The only thing that I could smell anymore was blood; it was all around me now, its stench rising up and nearly choking the life out of me. I began walking forward, feeling as if I were dreaming, walking passively by the dead bodies of Birchpaw and Ferncloud. "Leafpool?" I found myself say in a somewhat quiet voice, as if I actually expected her to hear me. I glanced to my left and watched as Ross consulted with Dire, both of them watching with confidence as their band obliterated any still-opposing forces.

And then, I saw her. A sleek brown tabby, hunched over two dark lumps. I pricked my ears, immediately recognizing the medicine cat. I gracelessly ran through the crowd to reach her, saying, "Leafpool! I need your..." I broke off as my gaze drifted to the ground, where both Sandstorm and Squirrelflight lay.

They were dead.

My eyes slowly widened and I took a tiny step forward, my heart pounding. I leaned over to get a better look, to desperately attempt to convince myself that no, it wasn't them. That they couldn't be dead. Not yet.

I'd made a promise.

"Oh, StarClan," I whispered; Sandstorm lay on her back, her pale ginger legs sprawled out. Her green eyes were wide, her mouth open just the slightest bit. Her body was covered in only a few bruises and scrapes, nothing serious except for the clean blow going right across her neck. Squirrelflight was in a much worse condition; her normally bright orange fur was coated with blood, a few of her wounds still bleeding copiously. It was clear that she'd died the same way as her mother-- a swift strike to the neck. Her mouth was closed, her half-open eyes catching the moon in their reflections.

Leafpool was arched over them, her eyes huge as she stared at them open-mouthed. She was shaking fiercely, looking as if she wanted to say something... but no words would ever come out.

Until, "No..." I looked at her, her eyes shimmering with intense emotion before she clenched them shut. "H-How... Why them...?" Her voice shook and cracked with grief. "First... Firestar," she murmured, possibly not even noticing my presence. "Squirrelflight... And now... My own _mother_...?" She said the last syllable with a high-pitched squeal, sounding like a tiny kit who'd just gotten hurt.

Slowly, very slowly, she turned to me, her bottom jaw hanging open. When she opened her eyes, they were suddenly blazing with something like fury as her ears flattened against her skull.

"This is your fault," she hissed quietly, taking a few seconds to say each word. "I _trusted_ you, Duskfeather. But Rainwhisker and Ashfur were right." She paused, her lips trembling before shouting, "_They were right!_ You're just a cold, heartless piece of foxdung who's pathetic band of rogues _killed my family!"_

"Leafpool," I breathed, staring at her. "I didn't--" But she didn't give me any time to explain. With a furious and deeply sorrowful yowl, she launched herself at me, knocking me to the bloodstained ground as she lashed out her claws at whatever part of me she could reach. I yelped in shock as she brought her claws down my face, sank her teeth into my shoulders. She seemed angry, I knew, but it wasn't just that. Her parents and sister had just died, two of their dead bodies right in front of her, and only now she had decided to let out her emotions. And I happened to be the perfect cat to blame everything on.

And then, a flash of silvery white. A fluffy cat suddenly came forward, knocking Leafpool away. I got to my feet, slightly breathless, to see Cloudtail trying to herd the distraught medicine cat away from me. I let out a sigh of relief to see him fully alive. It looked as if his right ear had been badly shredded, which made me immediately think of Brightheart. Leafpool was snarling and yelling at him, demanding to let her pass. Giving my pelt a shake, I ran towards them, skidding to a halt as I panted.

"Cloudtail," I spoke beneath my breath.

"It's _her fault_ they're dead!" Leafpool was yelling, trying to shove the large tom aside. "She's not one of us! She's a _traitor!"_

"Calm down!" shouted the tom over the voices of everyone else around us. "Leafpool, look at me! Think this through!"

"What is there to _'think through'?"_ she snarled, her sides heaving. "It's her fault! She _murdered_ them!"

"Duskfeather would never hurt _any_ of us," Cloudtail spoke loudly, yet surprisingly calmly considering the circumstances. "I know her. She saved my life." He paused, swallowed, and whispered, "At the last Gathering, after Brightheart was killed... I tried to drown myself. Even when I had a daughter to take care of. But Duskfeather talked some sense into me. She... saved me." Leafpool stared into his eyes, suddenly at a loss for words. Her fur was slowly beginning to lie flat as she started to calm down.

"Leafpool?" I asked quietly as I stepped forward. I sighed and bowed my head. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "It's true, I _am _a traitor. But now that I've been with everyone for so long... I could never lay a claw on any of you." I looked directly at her, blinking my yellow eyes slowly. "I'm sorry about Sandstorm and Squirrelflight," I continued, my voice now barely audible as I closed my eyes and pointed my head to the starry sky. "And Cloudtail's right. It... It _is_ my fault that they're dead." I opened my eyes, watching as a lone, shooting star passed through the darkness. "...Because I made a promise that I would protect Firestar's mate and daughters. And that's a promise I couldn't keep." I looked at her; any signs of anger had now left the young medicine cat. Her bottom lip was trembling again. "...But there's still you. And I promised that I'd keep you safe."

No one spoke for a few moments until Leafpool hesitantly stumbled forward. She buried her face into my shoulder as she shook hysterically. "I'm sorry," she rasped, and I wrapped my tail around her back, trying to comfort her. I shared a glance with Cloudtail, and I was sure that we were both remembering the exact same thing. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

After a few moments, I pulled away. "Leafpool," I murmured. "Please... Thornclaw's in the medicine cat and he needs you." I frowned and blinked softly. "Will you help him...?" The she-cat stepped backwards, her ears flattened sadly. She glanced at the bodies of Squirrelflight and Sandstorm before hanging her head.

"Yes," she whispered. "I will." And with that, she turned and silently made her way towards her den. I looked at Cloudtail and managed a sideways, melancholy smile.

"Thanks, Cloudtail," I said softly. He tried to smile back, though it was clear that he was exhausted, both emotionally and psychically.

"It was only me returning the favor."

I licked his ear thankfully before saying, "You need to find Whitepaw. Take her into the medicine den and hide in the back herb storage. Keep her safe." He didn't need to be told twice; he nodded understandingly and rushed off in search of his only daughter.

Now I stood alone, slowly turning to face the bodies of Squirrelflight and Sandstorm. I flattened my ears and made my way over to where they lay. I halted and examined the corpses again, unable to pull my gaze away.

"Sorry," I murmured, bowing my head before kneeling down and pressing my muzzle against the younger she-cat's. Her body was cold, her fur sticky with blood, but I paid no mind. It was all I could do to stop myself from shaking, and when I couldn't, I tried to convince myself that it was only the cold wind of night. After a few moments, I lifted myself up and repeated the gesture to Sandstorm. Memories flashed before my eyes-- being greeted by her, Graystripe and Birchpaw when we first arrived in ThunderClan, hunting with Squirrelflight, and being told by her that "I should've gone before we left" when I told her that nature called during the Gathering, when in fact I was out looking for Cloudtail. I laughed a little bit, for a very brief moment believing that they were still alive, that they were only sleeping beneath the stars like Squirrelflight would sometimes do with Brambleclaw.

The yowls and snarls around me brought me back to Earth, and when I opened my eyes to see their two bodies again, I sighed and shook my head gently. I lifted my paw, closing first Sandstorm's eyes, and then Squirrelflight's. They at least looked a bit more at peace, this way.

I stumbled backwards and lifted my head. "I'm sorry, Firestar," I said unevenly, looking around and expecting to see his orange figure. I waited and stepped forward, glancing around wildly, growing desperate. "Firestar?" I called. "I said I'm sorry!" But still, he did not appear. I hung my head and turned away, emerging myself deeper into the crowd, though I felt no real reason for it.

Something then bumped into me, and I whirled around with surprise, unsheathing my claws and preparing to fight. But I relaxed when I saw that it was only Mourn, his amber eyes wide and shining in the midst of night. His breathing was unsteady, his usually snow-white pelt even more bloodied. But he was still standing, still alive.

"Mourn," I murmured, pressing my nose against his right shoulder. After all these deaths that have been happening all around me, seeing that my brother was fine just pulled at my heart, I guess.

"Nightfall," he sighed with relief. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," I replied, stepping back. I spotted Cloudtail near the entrance of the medicine den as he herded Whitepaw safely inside. I smiled with exhaustion, actually quite surprised to see the apprentice still alive. She was limping heavily, pausing every few seconds to lean over and cough up blood, but she wasn't dead. Not yet.

And after that, I knew that the fighting was about done. Only a few cats continued to battle, most of them licking their wounds and consulting with the other rogues. I looked around the stony clearing, seeing Goldenflower's body lying twisted on the ground, along with Mousefur's and Longtail's. I felt a pang of regret and thought about how perfectly fitting it was that all three elders lay together; they had probably fought alongside each other, giving up the last of their strength to defend their Clan... even after they had retired. I stepped away from Mourn and carefully made my way to their corpses. I found myself studying Longtail; I'd always admired him and his sense of humor. And even though he'd been blinded by a mere rabbit, he'd had the heart of a warrior. It sounds corny, but it's true. Of that I was sure.

I bent down and stared into his blue eyes, knowing that up in StarClan, he'd be able to see once again. I picked my paw up and closed them before gently licking his nose.

"Goodbye, Longtail," I whispered. "I'll miss you." I could hear as Mourn walked up from behind; he now stood next to me, shaking in grief, unable to utter a word. I touched my muzzle to Goldenflower's and Mousefur's, grinning just a bit as I remembered the small, dusky she-cat's feistiness and the beautiful golden cat's kindness.

"Goodbye," I said again, a bit louder this time as I walked backwards, my shoulder brushing against Mourn's. We were quite for a moment before I said, "Have you seen Badger yet?"

My brother smiled softly and gave a tiny nod. "Yeah, a few times during the fight. But I haven't gotten the chance to speak to her yet." I purred hoarsely and leaned against him, closing my eyes.

"You will soon." I looked up at the sky just in time to see two more shooting stars fly by, followed by another several seconds later. I looked at the bodies of the three elders and smiled.

Then, I got to my feet; the shouting and snarling was nearly gone. I pushed through the crowd, seeing if there were any ThunderClan cats left at all. I paused at a dark tom's body; Ashfur. He lay in a pool of splattered blood, his body mangled and sprawled against the stone. I cringed slightly and clenched my teeth together, quickly beginning to walk past, not having the desire to dwell at his body for too long.

And then... "Dusk...feather..." I pricked my ears and whirled around, my heart suddenly pounding. It was then that I noticed the sides of Ashfur rise and fall just barely, hardly noticeable. His half-closed eyes were dull and flickering with pain as he stared at me, nearly dead. He opened his mouth, blood dribbling down his chin; "Duskfeather...?"

"Ashfur," I replied, aware that there was barely any feeling in my voice due to my shock. I shook my head and walked forward, leaning down beside him. There was nothing he could do to hurt me now, I knew. The only thing left I could do for him was to listen to what he had to say.

"Are they... all..." He paused to give an alarmingly weak cough, giving up the effort of keeping his eyes open. "...Dead?" I frowned and bowed my head, my ears flattened.

"No," I whispered. "Thornclaw, Leafpool, Whitepaw and Cloudtail are still alive." _As far as I know,_ I told myself, my heart lurching at the thought of a group of rogues sneaking into the medicine den and finishing them off while my back was turned.

The tip of Ashfur's tail flicked just a tiny bit to let me know that he acknowledged this.

"...Squirrelflight?" he asked in a rough murmur, his voice now barely audible. I blinked, suddenly remembering how attached the tom seemed to be to her. He liked her, didn't he? ...And yet, she would always turn her back to him for Brambleclaw. I felt a pang of pity for him, despite his previous efforts to kill me.

I couldn't find the words inside me to tell him that Squirrelflight was dead, but apparently there was no need. He shook his head ever so slightly in understanding, saying nothing in reply.

"I'm sorry, Ashfur," I found myself croaking, making me sound much more pathetic than I'd intended. The gray tom now opened one eye just a crack before murmuring, "I'll... never forgive you... for this... You know that... Right?"

"I know, Ashfur."

The warrior then gave a tiny, barely visible smirk before he lay still, his heart now at a complete stop, his breathing now having completely ceased. My whiskers twitched and I licked a wound on his cheek, the blood having already dried to his fur.

He was the last of them. The last of the ThunderClan cats at battle. I stood up, directing my gaze towards the medicine den. I could only pray that Cloudtail, Whitepaw, and Leafpool were still alive. And Thornclaw...

"Cats under Dire's rule!" a voice suddenly boomed, shattering the private little bubble I was temporarily standing in. I glanced at the sky; morning was approaching. The sky was yet to have any color, but it was growing brighter into a shade of gray as the stars began to disappear, one by one.

I quickly examined a fairly fresh wound on my front right leg that Leafpool had given me-- it had stopped bleeding, at least-- before directing my direction to where Dire's words had come from. My eyes widened slightly when I saw him standing at the top of the Highledge, right beside a now-empty den, just as Firestar always had. His dark brown fur was ruffling brilliantly in the breeze, his half-narrowed amber eyes dazzling in the moonlight. He had a few wounds searing down his pelt, a couple still dribbling with blood, but they only made him seem all the more powerful. A satisfied smirk lay on his face as he looked out over the camp, his tail lashing. For a moment, I could have sworn that his yellow eyes had been replaced with green, his brown fur replaced with orange.

The rogues clumped together, all looking up at him expectantly, triumphant smiles lighting their faces. I sat by myself at the edge of the crowd, my tail wrapped around my legs, my head lowered slightly. I flattened my ears.

"We have taken over ThunderClan," Dire announced, his voice loud with confidence. "They failed to stand against us! This hollow shall be marked as our new camp!" Cheers rose from the throng, bouncing against the stone walls and soaring up into the sky. Cats laughed and talked happily, proud and victorious. Dire let his "Clan" celebrate for a few more moments before lashing his tail and once again demanding attention.

"There may still be others hiding," he said, his eyes narrowing. He looked down at the crowd. "Tin, Maxwell, Ember; check each den for survivors." He paused, bringing his lips back. "And kill them." I felt my blood freeze; what about Leafpool, Cloudtail and Whitepaw? And Thornclaw-- Dire had promised to keep him alive! I narrowed my eyes and suddenly found myself leaping forward, running up to the Highledge. I passed by Mourn on my way; he was staring at me with huge yellow eyes.

"Wait!" I yowled, staring up at my leader. He looked down at me, his fur bristling impatiently.

"What is it, Nightfall?" he growled, almost causing me to flinch. Almost.

"What about your promise?" I demanded, unsheathing my claws and scraping them against stone. "You promised to keep Thornclaw alive." The tom's whiskers twitched with irritation, but he finally sighed.

"Fine," he said with a flick of his tail. "Maxwell, Scarlet, Ember-- keep the brown tom in the medicine den alive. The wounded one." Maxwell dipped his head, Scarlet nodded reluctantly after a moment, and Ember rolled her pretty little eyes.

"Dire, wait," I breathed, knowing that his patience was wearing thin and that I would be pushing it with this next request. "Inside the medicine den... there are three more cats." I swallowed, hoping I wasn't putting their lives in danger. Perhaps if I hadn't said anything, then they all could have hid in the back herb storage, unseen. But it was too late to change things, now-- I had to push on. "...Their names are Leafpool, Cloudtail, and Whitepaw. Leafpool is fantastic with herbs-- she was ThunderClan's medicine cat. She's currently healing Thornclaw. Cloudtail and Whitepaw are father and daughter--"

"I can see how the medicine cat could be useful," Dire interrupted. "But what about the other two? What reason do I have to keep them living?" He pulled his lips back, his white teeth glinting in the fading moonlight. "They'll just get in my way!"

"Dire, please," I begged, my voice nearing a desperate growl. "They won't try anything. Cloudtail will only care about keeping his daughter safe." Our gazes burned into each other's, and I was aware of countless bodies watching me silently. But I didn't back down. Most of ThunderClan may have been wiped out, but I was determined to keep these four alive. No matter what the cost.

And then, to my surprise, Dire dipped his head just a bit. "Very well," he murmured, now gentler than he had just been. "They shall be kept as prisoners of our band." He lifted his eyes; "But if they try anything or prove to get in the way, then I will order for their extermination immediately." I tried to keep my fur from bristling and instead bowed my head, a wave of relief washing over me.

"Thank you," I mumbled with a sigh. I turned and slowly made my way back into the crowd, shrinking away from all the stares that were piercing through me.

Maxwell, Scarlet, and Ember had a new job; it was to guard the medicine den for the time being, making sure that the prisoners would remain in their places. A few were concerned about them due to the fact that it would be three against four of the ThunderClanners decided to fight, but I pointed out that Thornclaw was not in the shape to fight, Leafpool had few combat skills, and Cloudtail would be focusing on Whitepaw, who was badly wounded as well. And so the three guards took their positions outside of the den; I watched them quietly, desperately wanting to see the four.

"Listen up," announced Dire, regaining everyone's attention again. "You have only a few minutes to rest. We'll soon be going east to conquer the next Clan." _...ShadowClan,_ I realized, and for some reason, I felt much better about this, more confident that I'd be able to fight them. For they killed both Graystripe and Brightheart-- I had something to hate them for.

The crowd broke up as cats went this way and that, chatting, quickly picking leftover pieces of prey from the freshkill pile, visiting the medicine den. I ran over to Mourn; he was looking around anxiously.

"Mourn?" I said, and he jumped, his fur rising.

"Nightfall," he breathed. "You scared me." I frowned and licked a bloodied spot on his shoulder.

"You should see Leafpool," I murmured. "She can help you."

"I'm looking for Badger," he squeaked, alarm in his voice. "I haven't talked to her yet. B-But I can't find her." I blinked softly and glanced around, squinting my eyes as I searched for a certain black and white she-cat. It was getting easier to see. The sun was yet to rise, but now there were dim streaks of orange and pink, announcing the coming of morning.

"Mourn!" a voice suddenly chimed, and we whirled around to see Badger, standing several feet away, her shoulders slumped, blood standing out against the white parts of her fur. Her amber eyes were shining with emotion, her mouth opened just a bit in disbelief.

"B-Badger!" piped Mourn, his long tail sticking straight up in the air. They stood staring at each other for a few moments before suddenly running to meet up. Badger smiled with relief and sprung from the ground, knocking into my brother and pushing him to the ground. They rolled around for a minute, tussling playfully before the she-cat had him pinned down. They looked up at each other, eyes huge, before they starting laughing.

"I can't believe it," Badger murmured, shaking her head. Her bottom lip was trembling, and then, without warning, she dug her nose into the fur of Mourn's neck, shaking. My brother blinked and tried a tiny smile, closing his eyes and nuzzling her gently. The she-cat pulled away, giggling again.

"I missed you so much," she whispered, once again shaking her head. Mourn grinned widely and licked her nose.

"I missed you too," he replied, suddenly looking as if he would cry out in grief. He trembled feverishly, just as she just had, and closed his eyes. Badger frowned and gently batted his ear, concerned.

"Mourn? W-What's wrong?"

The tom opened his eyes, smiling sadly. "Nothing," he murmured. "I just... I missed you so much..." A grin crept onto the she-cat's face and she laughed, her voice cracking a bit before once again burying her face in my brother's fur.

I realized that I had been watching with a pang of jealousy, and I quickly turned away, feeling guilty.

I began silently making my way towards the medicine den, passing quietly by the dead bodies that still littered the ground. I forced myself not to look at them, though I failed several times.

And just as I was about to step into the den to greet the four survivors, a booming call interrupted me.

"Cats under Dire's rule! We are now traveling east into the pine forest to strike our next target! Gather together and follow my lead!" I flattened my ears and turned back to the den, flinching when I saw, from inside in his nest, Thornclaw staring at me. I blinked several times before quickly bowing my head in apology and turning to watch as the group that had already began up the steep slopes.

I sighed, following.

As we made our way through the trees, I could feel just a faint warmth on my pelt as the sun finally started to rise. And as I continued on, I swore that just for a second I could see Firestar walking beside me.

**Jeeze, what's with all this angst and depression? Who made up this plot, anyway!? ...Oh, wait...**

**Dude. Rev's gonna totally kill me for killing Longtail. *hides***

**Reviewers get a Longtail plushie, because I don't think I've given one out yet and he's probably the coolest elder ever. xD I love CC~!**

**(Oh, and guess what I should be doing? Homework. Again. *sigh*)**

**Au revoir pour maintenant~**

**Pearly**


	21. Chapter 21: Alone

**...HolyshitI'malive? OMGWTFBBQ O.O**

**Woah, so, yeah. I haven't updated this in over a month. And the worst part is that I really don't have a good excuse other than school work and feverishly watching Lost (the finale was last weeeeek D8 ) *clears throat* So, I hope you didn't all think I died. xD Here I am!**

**Review Replies:**

**Chat et Chocolat: YOUR VERY LONG POST MADE ME GIGGLE. 83 And it made about no sense at all. Which I love. I love YOU. 8D I'm sowwy for all the kiwwing, I am, weally! T_T *glomps* Thankies for reading~ 83**

**LittleSpark: Well, what can I say? Dire's a nutcase. A complete nutcase. 83 In his mind, they have to attack and get their land back as soon as possible. xD Thankies for reading!**

**LegendaryHero: Merr. x3 I hope this chapter is hopefully better than the last one, then? 83 (two "hope"s in one sentence? Redundancy yay 8D) Thankies so much for reading, it means a lot that you've stuck with this story 8D *glomptackles***

**rosepetal24: Merr, tankies 83 And teehee, you keep your name however you want, kiddo! *thumbs up and a creepy smile* ...Sorry 'bout that. Thanks for readin'!**

**Revriley: IKNOOOWWW D; I'm sorry! I knew you'd kill me for that. x.x Dudewhat, Longtail dies in Fading Echoes? Nuu~ D8 Poor guy. B-But, at least we've still got Cloudtail...? 8'3 *hesitantly lifts Cloudtail plushie* Thankies for readin'! 83**

**Macey-the-Invisible: xDDDDDDDDD You're review made me laugh. xDD I never knew Nightfall was so hated, teehee! And you'll find out about Brambeclaw this chappie~ 83 Syrjityiksi! Syrjityiksi! How do you pronounce that? xD *glomptackles* Thankies for reading!**

**Katie Ladmoore: HAI 8D I loved Graystripe and Silverstream together, their whole story was so Romeo and Juliet :'3 And I've never liked Millie much, teehee. *glompsnuggles* Thankies for reading!**

**Falconflight: 8'D Thankies! And yes, I knew that I'd get some hate from killing like EVERYONE (wtf?). x3 But thankies so much for reading! It means a lot 8D *glomps***

**EeveeCelebi749: I knoooow~ D8 ThunderClan has NOT had a great few weeks, recently, what with Brightheart and Graystripe dying, having to give ShadowClan land, and now thiiiis? D8 And, in fact, there shall be more Tawnypelt in this chappie. x;3 Enjoy! *glomptackles* :3**

**Snowfrost: xD Thankies! Sorry about killing them aaaall~ D8 It had to be done! For the good of the story! ^-^'' Thanks for reading! *glomps***

**Here we goooo~**

Chapter 21

_Alone_

"Nightfall... Do you remember?" Her raspy breath was coming out quickly, and with each inhale she took came a pitiful wheeze. She was thin, painfully thin; her ribcage was clearly visible, and each vertebrae on her back protruded from her skin in a sickly manner. She was losing fur, and whatever was left had clumped together from lack of grooming. Her normally outstanding blue eyes were now half-closed and dull, quickly losing their color. Her nose was running, the tip of her tail twitching unnaturally as saliva dripped from her lower lip.

It was midday when it happened. And a beautiful day, at that; not a single cloud in the sky. It was in the middle of autumn, and the leaves of trees were bursting with magnificent colors of red, orange and yellow. There was a soft wind, a gentle rustling sound. Birds chirped loudly as chipmunks darted around in search for acorns to store for the winter. And now we all sat in the stone hollow, crowded around the cat that was losing her life from a mysterious illness that had failed to be treated soon enough. Some of the she-cats' lower lips were quivering as they turned away, shielding the eyes of their kits. A few toms were comforting their mates, though some were unable to watch themselves.

Mourn stood huddled beside me, quivering as he stared helplessly at his mother, at Schala. I remember Dire and Ross standing together; at the time, they were only a matter of moons old themselves. That's right; at that time, we had no leader. No one to give us orders. All we really were was a group of cats bound together for mutual protection. Which was honestly just as well.

I had pushed my tiny self through the crowd in order to get a good look, and was actually quite surprised to see my own mother there. I blinked my big eyes slowly, wondering why everyone was making such a big fuss. Schala was only lounging in the sun, wasn't she? But if that was the case, why did she look so... weird?

"Do you remember, Nightfall?" she rasped, looking into my eyes, though she looked distant, as if she were dreaming. I swallowed and squeaked, "Rememba what, Mama?"

"My promise," she murmured, pausing to give a few weak coughs. "I promised... I'd take you... To the plains, when you were old enough..." She now closed her eyes, managing a weak smile. "...Remember?"

"Y...Yeah," I mumbled, tilting my head in wary confusion. What was she going on about? Why was she telling me this now? I looked at Mourn for help; he returned my gaze with a desperate and sorrowful expression, looking as if he'd cry out at any moment. I blinked again and turned back to the gray she-cat.

"...Mourn will take you," she whispered, her breath beginning to leave her. "Mourn... Don't forget... Please..." My brother stared at her and nodded, unable to speak. His eyes were huge and glimmering with intense emotion, something that I didn't understand at the time.

And then, she was gone, leaving me standing alone and lost with no idea of what had just happened.

"Mourn?" I murmured suddenly, back in reality. It was very early morning, but the cold of night was still present as our band trudged through the woods. For the most part, there were no serious injuries, though one or two stayed back in camp to get medical attention.

He was walking beside Badger, limping slightly as he kept his head low. Clumps of dried blood were still stuck in his pelt. Badger twined her tail with his, pressing against him comfortingly as she looked at him worriedly.

"Mourn, are you sure you should have come?" I asked quietly. "You could have stayed behind and let Leafpool take care of you."

"I'm fine," he breathed unsteadily. "J-Just shook up." I watched him carefully, frowning with concern, before I asked, "Mourn, what were Schala's last words?"

He pricked his ears and stared at me, obviously not have expecting such a question. He blinked slowly and tilted his head slightly. "I don't remember. Why?" I flicked an ear and shrugged softly.

"Just wondering," I mumbled. "I can't remember, either."

"Maybe it's for the best," he said with a sigh. I nodded stiffly in reply. He looked at me curiously for a moment before turning back to Badger. I flattened my ears slightly and kept quietly walking.

At that time of day, it really was pretty. The sun was reaching higher, pale golden rays searing through the trees. The sky was flushed with pinks and deep oranges, and already I could tell that it would be a very warm day. It seemed almost odd to prepare for a fight in the midst of a beautiful morning; surely a dark night would be more appropriate? It was then that I remembered one more cat that I'd nearly forgotten about. What had happened to him? I glanced over at my brother.

"Mourn... What happened to Brambleclaw?" He glanced over at me, his amber eyes suddenly wide and shining with emotion, just as they always were. He paused before he spoke and I blinked, wondering why he was so hesitant.

"Mourn...?

"Ross killed him," he murmured. "It turns out that he saw you and him sneak out of camp behind me, Firestar and Brackenfur. He left to pursue us, leaving Squirrelflight back at camp until she got worried." The white tom paused to swallow nervously. "...He caught me and Ross bringing Firestar and Brackenfur's bodies to be buried. And Ross... he..." I closed my eyes and nodded before whispering, "Did you manage to bury their bodies?" Mourn hung his head, suddenly looking as completely ashamed as a kit who'd just been scolded.

"I.. I wanted to," he croaked. "But Ross... He... He said we didn't have time, that we had to go back to camp." I stared at him before narrowing my eyes, lifting my head and trying to find the black and white tom. But I was too far back in the crowd to see. I imagined that he was walking right alongside Dire, their matching amber eyes gleaming in unison.

"So what happened to them?" I asked, my voice no louder than a dark mutter. Mourn's whiskers twitched and he avoided my gaze, finally forcing out the words, "The stream." I felt a growl rise in my throat; they didn't deserve this.

StarClan, I have to stop doing this. Deciding who deserves what. I have no right, no say in any of this. I can mourn for them, but... there's nothing I can do. Not now. I sucked in a stream of air, letting it go with a shaky huff.

The familiar scents of ThunderClan began to give way for ShadowClan; we were close to the border, delving under a thick canopy of pine trees. And as my paws began to stick with sap, I wondered very briefly how they could deal with evergreens. I chuckled halfheartedly; what kind of stupid, random thought was that?

"Is this... ShadowClan?" A voice jostled me out of my thoughts, and I looked to my left to see Sapphire now walking beside me. I smiled gently, comforted just by the fact that she was there with me.

"Yeah," I murmured. "We're in ShadowClan now. We passed the border about thirty seconds ago." The pretty silver she-cat blinked her eyes thoughtfully.

"I thought so," she replied quietly. "It smells different. More like... the night." I laughed a tiny bit, nodding in agreement.

"Yeah," I whispered again. "Guess you're right." I looked up at her when I felt her lay her tail on my back; she was gazing at me with sorrowful concern.

"You probably could have stayed behind, you know," she mumbled. "I mean... back at ThunderClan, if you didn't want to fight."

"I never said anything about not wanting to fight," I replied swiftly, trying to keep my voice hard as I focused my gaze in front of me. "If I wanted to stay behind, I would have. You know that." Sapphire frowned and tilted her head.

"I guess," she sighed. "I'm just worried about you, Nightfall."

"I'm fine," I tried to assure her, looking at her and smiling slightly. "Don't worry about me." She didn't look at all reassured, but she finally nodded.

"I'm going to go find Tin," she said. "I want to see how he's doing." I nodded in understanding. She began to trot ahead of me, but then stopped and turned around. "In case I don't see you before the fight," she meowed, "...be careful, Nightfall." I sighed and smiled softly. She acted almost like an older sister, and sometimes I wished that she was.

"I already told you, you don't need to worry about me." She, after a moment, smiled a bit back before disappearing into the group, leaving me alone.

It wasn't long until the scent of ShadowClan grew even stronger- we were closing in to their camp. The cats ahead of me began to come to a stop; Dire must have signaled for them to halt. I pushed my way through the crowd, trying to get a better view. We were all now in a small huddle, hushed whispers floating around until Dire lashed his tail. All eyes were now on him; he didn't speak a word, but we all knew what he was thinking. I had never actually seen ShadowClan's camp before, but I could catch a few glimpses if I stood as tall as I could. It was a shallow hollow, no real protection surrounding it, unlike the brambles around ThunderClan's camp, but there were several low-hanging branches that helped hide it.

Dire wordlessly signaled for us to circle the camp; I followed behind everyone else, light on my toes and praying I wouldn't do something stupid like trip and loudly curse. After a minute, we formed a complete circle, making sure that there was a fair amount of room between us and the camp. In the strengthening sunlight, I looked around and focused on each cat's face; most of them were practically jumping out of their skins in anticipation. And in that brief moment before Dire announced the attack, I had time to think and remember all of the ShadowClan cats I'd encountered. There was Oakfur, that small tom who I'd fought several times. Russetfur, the cold deputy and her trusty sidekick Rowanclaw... I unsheathed my claws. Blackstar, the cat who'd tried to invade ThunderClan, led us into his trap, and killed Brightheart... I tensed as I saw Dire raise his head and puff out his chest. And who was it that had killed Graystripe? Which _one_ cat? Russetfur? Rowanclaw? Blackstar? ...I knew it really didn't matter, though, because whoever it was, they would probably soon be dead anyway. I flattened my ears just in time to hear Dire yell, "_Attack!"_

_ Here we go again._

Just like earlier that night, yowls followed our leader's call and we all ran forward, thus beginning our second consecutive battle. Without really thinking, I let my paws take me down the piney slope. A few ShadowClan cats were already out in the clearing; some of them were just waking up, a couple others still standing guard from the night before. Heads immediately lifted and their widening eyes met ours; I leaped through the air, landing at the bottom of the hollow with an ungraceful thud, pausing for just a moment as I watched cats from all sides dive down into battle. Yowls sounded through the early morning as the ShadowClanners began to realize just what was going on. There was no time to think anymore, because almost immediately, but not too surprisingly, I was bowled to the ground and pinned onto my side.

I wheezed in surprise and craned my neck up to see who it was; blazing amber eyes glared down at me, teeth pulled back as a small tom growled down at me. Oakfur.

Without giving me any time to speak, the tom dug his claws painfully into my shoulders, making me wince with pain.

"Just who _are_ you?" he hissed, keeping me firmly against the hard ground. I narrowed my eyes and looked up at him, trying to ignore the new pain throbbing through my shoulders.

"I'm Nightfall," I growled unevenly back, "I-" I was cut off as he dug his claws further into my skin, and my eyes widened slightly.

"You were never part of ThunderClan, then?" he demanded, his voice low. I flattened my ears and managed to twist an arm out of under him, lashing it at wherever it could reach. The tom hissed and recoiled as claws met the side of his face, giving me time to kick out my legs, sending him stumbling backwards. I quickly got to my paws, shaking just slightly as my new wounds pulsed painfully. The tom quickly rebalanced himself, glaring at me irately. Giving a short battle cry, he launched himself at me again; I stepped to the side and managed to avoid the blow, but he then lunged at me from behind, shoving me violently to the ground. Before he could pin me down again, however, I sunk my claws into his shoulders, tripping his back legs up with my tail, sending him falling awkwardly to the side. I got up and stood on top of him, now at the advantage. I leaned in and put a paw at his throat; the tom coughed and snarled and struggled wildly; my hold on him was weak, and I knew he'd be able to get out of it, but before he could, I quickly dealt him one last blow to the stomach.

Oakfur gasped and cringed in shock, and I backed away, letting him go. I think I'd hit him a bit harder than intended; his eyes were now bulging from his sockets as he trembled from the force of the blow. His stomach was quickly darkening with red, but he nonetheless managed, somehow, to get back to his feet. He shook with pain, clumps of fur dripping with blood. He narrowed his eyes to slits and flexed his claws, and I tensed, ready to fight. But then, he turned, quickly darting back into the crowd and leaving me standing alone, panting.

I watched him leave, breathless, before I tried to lick the wounds on my shoulders... but they were just out of reach. I clenched my teeth together and took a moment to observe the fight.

Just like in the battle with ThunderClan, we were winning by far. Although we now had fewer members, ShadowClan was a smaller Clan; everything evened out. Once again, I was surrounded by snarling, spitting cats, and I knew that this wouldn't take long. I caught sight of Badger and Mourn fighting side by side against Rowanclaw and that one tortoiseshell she-cat; my brother was trying hard to keep up, but Badger was swiftly dealing blows, dodging from side to side and avoiding practically any contact. Tin, Sapphire and two others came to join them, and I quickly looked away, not wanting to watch.

I ran through the crowd, managing to avoid random strikes from those around me. I paused to pant, looking blindly around for someone to help or fight. I spotted a tiny white tom quickly, and somewhat frantically, herding Oakfur into a den- probably the medicine den. I stepped forward, not quite watching where I was going, leading to my tripping over something at my feet. I winced as I landed and blinked, glancing below me to see a small gray body beneath me. My eyes widened in surprise and I leaped to my paws, looking down curiously.

...It was a young tom, probably only an apprentice. He had several cuts in his throat, and I knew without having to look any closer that he was already dead. I blinked slowly and silently continued on my way.

I glanced around, curious as to where Dire and Ross were- and then I saw them, confronting Blackstar near the center of the camp. (Russetfur, I noticed, however, was nowhere to be seen.) I pricked my ears and limped forward, their conversation coming into earshot. I stood a few feet away, watching the scene as I kept myself low to the ground.

"...I'm impressed," the leader was saying quietly, a tiny smirk on his face. "You've already wiped out ThunderClan?"

"Yes," Dire replied, unsheathing his claws. His narrowed, amber eyes caught the early morning light, his tail lashing wildly. Ross just stood beside him, stiff and still as he watched the ShadowClanner carefully.

Blackstar chuckled, lifting his head high so that the taller, larger tom was looking down onto them both. Even in such a desperate situation, he seemed to refuse to look weak. I couldn't decide of this made him stupid or respectable. "Who'd have thought?" he laughed, closing his eyes. "I thought I had heard some sort of commotion when I was taking a few of my warriors for a patrol. But we had simply assumed that ThunderClan had gotten themselves caught up in some conflict with WindClan, and I _wasn't_ about to lift a claw to help." He opened his eyes just the slightest bit, his smile suddenly gone. "You may not remember this," he said slowly, and I noticed that he was talking directly at Ross, "...but we have allies. ShadowClan will _not_ be defeated so easily."

"Allies," Ross murmured. "You mean RiverClan."

Blackstar pulled his lips back; "Yes. And they're coming, running through the trees to reach us even as we speak."

"Well, they're not here yet," Ross replied swiftly, and he and his brother began to step forward. Blackstar clenched his teeth together and stumbled backwards, flexing his claws.

But before any of them could lay out even one strike, Dire suddenly lifted his head, his ears pointed straight up in the air. I blinked and followed his gaze, seeing, only partly to my surprise, a new group of cats emerging from the trees, halting at the top of the slope, an oddly spotted she-cat in the lead. A few other cats were distracted and were now looking up with wonder as the she-cat, Leopardstar, stepped forward. Blackstar gazed up at her, a grin forming on his face as he smirked back at Dire and Ross.

"Look who's here?" he cooed mockingly, a new wave of arrogant determination coming over him. I studied the group wordlessly, noticing a ginger cat run forward and stand next to the RiverClan leader. It was Russetfur; she must have gone to get help. That would explain Blackstar's confidence that someone was coming to aid them. But how could she have ran there and back so quickly...? Were they already expecting us, after all?

"What is this?" demanded Leopardstar, looking down into the hollow with narrowed eyes. She had certainly caught the attention of most everyone; many rogues were now watching with curiosity, wondering who on earth this could be and _how_ on earth they could interfere with our plan.

_"Rogues,"_ hissed Blackstar, saying the word with about as much disgust as any cat would possibly be able to muster. "They've already taken over ThunderClan, and now they're trying to do the same thing with ShadowClan." He shot a glare at Dire before looking back up to the she-cat. "And if _we_ were to be defeated- who knows? They might even try to conquer _RiverClan!"_ A few cats from the new crowd hissed and snarled at that, their piercing gazes meeting ours as they unsheathed their claws. I did the same, trying to assure myself that we would still win. Even though they now had the help of practically a whole Clan, our band was still bigger. Plus, I knew that some of ShadowClan's cats were already dead.

"I see," mumbled Leopardstar, closing her eyes very briefly before opening them and looking down at us, her eyes blazing in the faint light of day. "Does this group of rogues have a leader?" A few of us automatically glanced at Dire, who slowly took a few steps forward.

"Me," he said loudly and clearly, looking directly at the RiverClanner. "My name is Dire."

"Leopardstar," she replied. "And I should have you know, Dire, that my cats are as fierce and proud as any warrior can be." She shifted her weight and lashed her tail. "...We will not be beaten easily."

"Very well," the dark brown tabby replied, sitting down and wrapping his tail around his paws. He was calm, and he was confident. "I'd be honored to see the true strength of your warriors then, Leopardstar." But there was sarcasm in his voice, and I wasn't the only one who caught it.

The unusual leader narrowed her eyes to slits, her whiskers twitching with irritation. "I see that you don't take me seriously," she muttered. "Very well, then." Swiftly, without giving a moment even to breathe, she closed her eyes, lifted her head, and yowled, "RiverClan! _Attack!"_

Even more cats began running down the shallow slope, and I noticed immediately how RiverClan cats smelled so incredibly like water and fish. The feisty cats snarled and yowled out, now risking their lives against cats they didn't even know for the purpose of helping ShadowClan.

And then we clashed.

Even more panic and mayhem was going on around me, so much that I was getting a bit dizzy. Everywhere I looked, all I saw were pelts of all colors rushing by and the sunlight caught in slashing claws. And the next time I looked up, I saw Russetfur, standing in the midst of the crowd, currently free of any attackers. She glanced up and our eyes met; I narrowed my own, pulling my lips back as anger fueled me. I ran a few steps before jumping, yowling aggressively and shoving her to the ground. The she-cat winced, glaring up at me as she bared her teeth.

"Get off me, foxdung," she growled, lashing unsheathed claws against my chest. I hissed as pain stung me like needles, and, catching me off guard, she took another blow at my face, catching my muzzle in the cuff. She kicked her legs out before rolling to the side, quickly leaping to her paws. She didn't strike back right away, though- she instead took a few moments to pant, watching me carefully.

"W...Who was it?" I breathed, licking my muzzle and spitting out the blood. All the wounds I'd received that night were all finally catching up to me; my limbs shook, my veins pulsed- I hadn't had the chance to even see Leafpool before we came here.

"What in StarClan's name are you-"

"Graystripe," I said, shifting my weight and wincing a bit. I quickly leaned down to give a few quick licks to my chest before looking back at Russetfur. "Who was it that killed him? Which one of you?"

The ginger deputy narrowed her eyes even further, her tail suddenly lashing wildly. But the alarm in her expression was easy to read, no matter how much she tried to hide it. "That's... That's none of your concern," she growled. "Why would I tell _you_, anyway?"

"You might as well," I murmured. "You may have RiverClan's help, now, but look around you and tell me who you think is winning." Russetfur flinched the tiniest bit, flattening her ears and hesitantly looking around. I had to admit, at the time there were so many cats it was nearly impossible to tell left from right- but I had faith that we were going to come out on top.

"You'll never... You'll never win," she hissed quietly, her fur fluffed up.

"Just tell me who killed him," I snarled, taking a small step forward. "It won't even make a _difference_ anymore!" Russetfur shrank back a bit, her lips pulled back defensively.

"...Who _are_ you?" she whispered horsely, her green eyes glowing.

I looked at her, wondering if I'd actually managed to intimidate her. But right as I opened my mouth to answer, the cat suddenly snarled viciously and lunged for me, bowling me to the ground and pinning me onto my side, her claws digging into me as she lowered her head, putting her lips to my ear.

"ShadowClan will _never_ be pushed aside," she snarled threateningly. "It will _always_ stand strong, no matter _what." _Before I could say a word, she stepped back, lifted a paw and readied a blow to my stomach. While her grip was loosened, I quickly rolled to the side, receiving a small wound on my shoulder in the process but avoiding the possibility of a fatal injury to the stomach. I quickly stammered to my paws, panting as I lifted my head.

The ginger ShadowClanner glared at me, facing me as she ran forward. But then, another yowl was heard, and a silver she-cat shot forward, placing herself in front of me as she sliced her claws out at the unsuspecting Russetfur's face.

"Sapphire," I gasped, watching as she struck again at the deputy's throat before leaping back beside me. I grinned, relieved that she was alright other than a few small scrapes.

"Just try to lay another claw on her," my friend growled, her claws unsheathed. "You'll have to fight both of us."

"Don't get in my way!" Russetfur snarled back, taking a step forward. Sapphire copied her movements, baring her teeth, hackles raised. The ginger cat narrowed her eyes, glancing back and forth between her and myself before stepping back, realizing that, as much as she wished she _could _have,she wouldn't be able to fight us both. She instead spat at Sapphire's feet before turning and darting off into the crowd.

I let out a sigh of relief, letting myself sit down, giving myself a moment to breathe.

"Nightfall," Sapphire meowed, turning and quickly looking over me. "You're... You're bleeding in several places."

"It's fine," I rasped, grinning. "They're just scratches. Nothing serious."

"No," murmured Sapphire. "Look at you. You've been fighting this whole time- you're exhausted, aren't you?"

"Sapphire-"

"Yes, you are!" she concluded, giving a tiny, worried nod. "You should rest, at least for a few minutes. I could help you to an empty den-"

"Sapphire," I cut in. "I'm going to be fine... Alright?" I blinked and smiled softly. "And I can walk on my own, thank you."

The she-cat was frowning with concern, her ears flattened; she almost looked like a little kitten again, wanting her mother. She sighed and said, "Alright, if you say so. But please, after this is over, get some rest and sleep in."

"Don't worry," I purred hoarsely, getting to my paws. I gently cuffed her ear and grinned. "I will. But when I do, don't come waking me up and telling me I have to go hunting or something."

Sapphire grinned and nudged me gently, pressing her cheek to mine. "Be careful, okay?"

I chuckled and nodded. "Okay."

She gave me one last worried look before turning and romping off, back into the crowd. I sighed and glanced around, getting ready to go back into the fight.

And then, I saw her- a cat, a tortoiseshell, climbing up the slope. She was wounded, but nothing serious- sort of like me, I suppose. She was heading into the woods, towards... ThunderClan. She was, without a doubt, not a rogue- she was a Clan cat. My mouth hanging open slightly in wonder, I narrowed my eyes and stalked up the slope after her, immediately breaking into a sort of fatigued run. I tried to ignore my body's longing for me to stop, rest, and lick my wounds as I spotted the she-cat in the distance ahead, dashing through the forest. I bit my lip and hurried on after her, determined to catch up and demand to know what she was doing. Was she really going towards ThunderClan? Or perhaps she was going towards WindClan to warn them? I barely even considered the possibility that this cat might fight me if I tried to stop her.

Soon, the scent of ThunderClan arose, and I took note as I passed over the border. The trees and smells around me were much more familiar compared to those of ThunderClan. My run finally began to die out, and at one point I leaned against an old oak tree, pausing to pant as I struggled to stay on my feet. I coughed a few times before lifting my head, my eyes widening at what I saw.

There she was- the tortoiseshell she-cat. She had stopped running and was now bent over, trying to catch her breath. My whiskers twitching, I got to my paws and ran towards her, but before I could leap at her or make any sort of move, she suddenly spun around and leaped to the side, her lips pulled back, her fur fluffing out. I skidded to a halt and eyed her; she had a bad cut on the side of her neck, still bleeding, along with a few others, a particularly notable one right below her left eye.

"Who are you?" the she-cat snarled, trying to show aggression, but her voice cracked with wariness and fatigue. I took another step forward, studying the wound on her neck. It didn't look good, and I cringed a bit at the sight.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked, my eyes narrowed. "That injury on your neck... It hurts, doesn't it?" The she-cat pulled her lips back; I studied her face, realizing that it was the one that looked like Brambleclaw. "Why are you going towards ThunderClan?"

"That's none of your business," the cat retorted. "Why would I tell _you_, anyway?" I flattened my ears slightly and replied, "Because I'm in better condition to fight than you are."

The she-cat stared at me, flicking her tail with irritation.

"Why'd you come after me?" the she-cat demanded, her claws digging into the ground.

"Because maybe you're going to warn WindClan about us. About my band."

"Is that what you think?"

"No," I said swiftly. "I think that you're going to see Brambeclaw."

The cat's eyes widened and she stared at me, open-mouthed. I guess I was right.

"What do you... What do you know about him?" she whispered.

"I know that he's a good cat," I answered. "It was clear that Firestar thought so, too. He often asked him to lead border patrols, to lead hunting parties. Maybe he would have chosen him for deputy one day."

The tortoiseshell stared at me, her fur still pricked up uneasily as she watched me carefully. There was silence until I asked, "Were you planning on warning WindClan of the attack, as well?"

"...T-That's none of your business!" she snarled, though her hesitation gave me the idea that she was.

"Sorry," I muttered, wrapping my tails around my short legs. "What's... What's your name?"

She narrowed her eyes and studied me for a long time before finally muttering, "Tawnypelt."

"Tawnypelt," I mumbled back. "And Brambleclaw was your... cousin? Brother?"

"Brother," she answered, sighing and looking up at the sky. I followed her gaze for a moment; the sun was rising rapidly, and things were getting brighter. Birds were chirping louder, the insects and critters of the day finally beginning to make movement.

Then, Tawnypelt lowered her head, her eyes suddenly widening as she growled, "What do you mean, Brambleclaw _'was'_ my brother?" I blinked and looked at her, my mistake only then dawning on me. I tried to speak, but I couldn't find the words.

The she-cat took a few small steps back, her eyes huge, her mouth open wide. "Don't tell me," she breathed. "He... Brambleclaw is _dead_, isn't he!"

"Wh... No, no," I tried to insist, leaping to my feet. "He-"

"You killed him," she hissed, her eyes blazing with fury. "You killed him, didn't you? You and your stupid _band._"

"Tawnypelt," I meowed desperately, stepping closer. "I-"

"Get _away_ from me!" she snarled, and giving me no time to do anything else, she suddenly turn and ran off, just like a rabbit running from its predator. I watched wordlessly until she vanished from sight, into the trees and undergrowth. I stood alone and clenched my teeth together, closing my eyes and murmuring, "You won't find him at camp."

After standing alone for several moments, I shook my head softly and turned around, nearly jumping out of my skin when I saw what was there.

Russetfur was right there, standing only several foxlengths across from me. She was panting heavily, blood dripping from several wounds. Her ears were pressed flat against her skull as she pulled back her lips, her eyes nothing more than dark slits.

And after a moment, I narrowed my own eyes, flexing my claws. This was the cat that had killed Graystripe- I was sure of that now. The cat that had followed me out here with an obviously violent intention.

"Russetfur!" I yelled, running towards her. She copied my movements, snarling loudly.

We met, and we began our last fight together.

**Oh, jeeze. I really don't like that ending. It's so awkward D;x Eh, hopefully it'll be good enough~ D; I'm really not sure what to think about this chapter as a whole, either. It's kind of... I don't even know. D; But, more action and drama is definitely on its way. I've got much planned~ x8D *rubs hands together***

**Reviewers geeeet... a Tawnypelt plushie! ...Because I don't believe I've given one out, yet. 83 I love CC~!**

**TTFN, ta ta for now!**

**Pearly**


	22. Chapter 22: Splitting Image

**Hello, all!**

**So, I know, I have put off updating this story for quite a while, yet again. Well, I have two reasons for this:**

**1) I've been on vacation and with the lack of a computer.**

**2) I've been a bit uninspired as of the late.**

**But worry not, both of those problems have been taken care of. :D I'll be updating this much more frequently before I'm off to camp in a couple o' weeks. I promise. :3**

**Review Replies:**

**Katie Ladmoore: Thank you! 8'3 Sorry for the long wait for this chapter, too. Hope you enjoy. 8DD**

**EeveeCelebi749: Eves! 8D *glomp!tackles* Ha, *joins Eves in the chasing of Blackstar and Leopardstar* And I know, poor kittehs. D: I lot of people don't seem to like Nightfall, but I've always been attached to her. :'3 She's definitely far from perfect, and her thoughts can be manipulated so easily that she's totally torn apart once she learns to think for herself. D; As for who will die- you'll just have to see~! ;'3 Thankies for reading!**

**Revriley: Ha! An updated massacre. That it is. xD And yep, Leafpool, Thornclaw, Whitepaw, and Cloudtail are still being held in ThunderClan's medicine den- you'll see more of them in this chapter. :3 Thankies for reading, as always! 8D**

**LegendaryHero: Aye, I know what you mean about Nightfall sneaking out and whatnot. Recently I've been making myself get into the habit that when I'm done with a chapter, even if I've read over it all, I wait a few hours and read it once more, because often times my ideas of how something or other should go change. xD That seemed a bit random to me, too, but I'd already posted it. x3 But thank you for the compliments! I appreeeeciate eeeet. ;3**

**Macey-the-Invisible: I know, right? D; *chases Russet with a pitchfork* YARR. And I totes agree with you about WindClan- they sure turned sour after a while, in the books. ;x And aye, at least Brambs and Squirrel are happy together, up 'n StarClan, yar. 8D Baby!Nightfall ish pretty cute, eh? ;D Poor lil' fam. ; A; And yay! Segno di scusa! 8DDDD *claps***

**rosepetal24: Thank you so much! :'3 I'll try to update sooner, I have more time / enthusiasm. Thanks again for readin'~ 83 *glomps***

**Chat et Chocolat: You and your threatening long posts. How they amuse / scare me so. 8D And as for Tawnypelt- you'll find out her fate soon enough. ;3 *hides from your mob***

**Judie-Firefox: Teehee, sorry 'bout that. 8D And thank you so much for reading, I really appreciate it. :) Hope you enjoy!**

**falconflight: Thanks so much. :D *glomp!tackles* I really appreciate your reading it! And here's an update, just for you! x3**

**Recap (Oh goodness I forgot to do one last chapter): As Dire leads his band into ShadowClan territory for their next attack, Nightfall has a flashback from when she was young and her mother was dying. But no matter hard she tries, she can't remember Schala's last words- and neither can her brother, Mourn. Mourn also reveals that Ross had killed Brambeclaw, who walked in on them as they were dragging off Firestar and Brackenfur's bodies. Soon, they launch their attack, and the battle goes smoothly until RiverClan shows up to help ShadowClan. Nightfall has yet another encounter with Oakfur, and a brief fight with Russetfur before the deputy runs off. Soon, Nightfall notices as a tortoiseshell she-cat slips away from camp, and she goes after her. The she-cat reveals herself to be Tawnypelt, Brambleclaw's brother, and had snuck away to see him, not knowing that he had died. Nightfall lets it slip and Tawnypelt runs off, leaving Nightfall alone until Russetfur confronts her.**

**Wow, did y'all know that this story's been up for over a year? Man, I'm slow.**

**Storeh time!**

Chapter 22

_Splitting Image_

Claws flashing in the golden daylight, Russetfur lunged for me, but I dodged to the side and turned to face her.

"What are you doing here?" I growled. "Why did you follow me?" The ginger she-cat whirled around, her eyes narrowed to slits as she watched me warily. There was a brief silence, and during that silence, despite the circumstances, I felt oddly at peace. A few finches chirped and flew by, I felt a gentle breeze, and nearby I could scent a mouse scurrying through the leaves.

"Because I noticed that Tawnypelt was _gone,"_ she snarled, tail lashing vengefully. "I managed to find her scent, and believe it or not, _yours_ was there, too." She stepped forward; "What did you do to her?" I opened my mouth to reply, and it struck me that despite her aggression, she was just being a deputy and taking care of her Clanmates.

"What did you _do_ to her?" the deputy hissed, louder this time. "Where is she!"

"I didn't do anything to her!" I snarled, raising my voice. Russetfur closed her mouth, staring at me before muttering bitterly, "I don't believe you."

"I know," I growled deeply. "I don't expect you to." I gave one of those sort of sarcastic, exasperated, angry chuckles; "But it doesn't matter anyway, because no matter what I say to you, you'll _never_ believe me!"

The she-cat, none too pleased, pulled back her lips, looking ready to leap at me and tear out my throat.

"Here's another question for you," I murmured, not backing down from her, intimidating she might have been. "You killed Graystripe, why- for provoking ThunderClan into battle? Is that _it?_ He had a great life and Clan to look after, and you took that all away from him. Do lives mean so little to you!"

Russetfur jerked back her head slightly, as if surprised, before immediately narrowing her eyes, flexing her claws.

"You act like you're so high and mighty," hissed the deputy, her voice bubbling with fury. "You're scoffing and blaming me over the loss of your precious 'Clanmate.'" She took a step forward, eyes flaring. "Which is ironic, considering you were _never part of the Clans!"_

I blinked and stared at her, suddenly unable to speak. Her words hit so unexpectedly hard that I found it difficult to think up any sort of comeback.

"_You're_ the ones who masked as ThunderClanners in order to bring us _all_ down," she continued, just like an agitated elder ranting on about some apprentice or another. But for the first time, I felt as if she was actually putting heart into these words. "You attack us with little warning, advantage weighing greatly on your side. And right as we speak, my own Clanmates are being murdered by the claws of _your_ friends and family. Yet here you are, demanding that _I_ justify _my_ actions!" She spit at my paws before muttering, "You think I have my intentions completely figured out, don't you? Do you remember when ShadowClan invaded ThunderClan, demanding for territory because of our sudden lack of food? We were never lying. We really _were_ facing famine, and if we hadn't find a better source of nourishment, it would have gotten much worse." She lifted her head, looking down at me with something like disgust. "What happened to Graystripe was for the good of ShadowClan. It is none of your business, nor has it _ever been."_

There was silence. A complete, uncomfortable, unwanted silence. We both stood facing each other, and she glared at me, as if waiting for me to say something, to explain myself. But again, I could find no words. I took a tiny step back, opening my mouth numerous times to say something, anything, but no words would ever come.

And then, without any sort of prior warning, she ran and leaped at me, knocking me onto my back. She pinned me to the earth, digging her claws into my throat. I gasped and choked and lifted a paw to swat her across the face before she could tighten her grip any further. She recoiled with a hiss of pain, and I used my other paw to deal another blow to her chest. She growled loudly, wincing before, furiously, she bared her teeth and dove for my throat.

I kicked out my back legs and rolled to the side before she could. I tried to get to my paws, but she pushed me back to the ground, this time pinning me onto my stomach. I winced as I hit the dirt and yowled out as Russetfur sank the claws of her left paw into the back of my neck. I twisted my head around; her right paw was still planted on the ground. I reached over and bit into her ankle, earning a surprised yelp from the deputy, who leaped back in shock. I used this opportunity to quickly jump to my paws and whirl around just in time to see the ginger she-cat's claws lashing out towards my face.

I gasped as pain went surging through me. Blood dripped down my cheek as I stumbled a few steps back, my eyes clenched shut. She had landed a violent blow right below my left eye, thankfully missing it by a few millimeters. Momentarily stunned, I had little time to react as she rammed roughly into me, slamming me to the ground once again. I could feel her leaning over my side; she was breathing heavily as she brought her paw down for another hit, this time onto my shoulder. I hissed and clenched my teeth together, shakily lifting my head to look at her. She stared at me back, coldly, before preparing a strike to my head.

I snarled and struggled to free myself, managing to roll onto my back to avoid the attack. But Russetfur used this to her advantage; now that my stomach was exposed, she wasted no time in making sure she had me pinned again before I could get back to my feet. I widened my eyes, looking up to see her lifting her paw, readying a possibly deadly slice to the stomach. Thinking fast, I craned my head up, catching her paw with my teeth as she brought it down. She gave out a squeak in pain and recoiled, giving me a chance to get back to my feet.

I briefly gave my pelt a shake before I looked over at her; she was quickly looking over her paw and the wound I'd just given it. Swiftly, and without really thinking, I charged towards her, but at the last second she looked up and jumped to the side, dodging. I tripped over my paws and gasped as I landed awkwardly onto the ground. Panting, I looked up; I was right beside an old, dying oak tree, its branches dull and leafless. Pointing right at me was a short limb, its end sharp and pointed. It could have punctured my neck had I ran into it with enough force.

I whirled around, standing in front of it as I watched Russetfur turn to face me. I swallowed and watched her carefully. The she-cat let out a loud snarl and began to run at me. When she had almost reached me, I suddenly dodged to the right, and not seconds later, an ear-piercing yowl was heard.

I, slightly hesitantly, turned back to look at her, my eyes widening as I saw the scene before me. Just as I had predicted, the deputy had ran right at the sharp branch, thus piercing her neck. She stood frozen, one paw still in the air as if she were still in motion, her eyes wide as she let out small, strained gasps. Her neck was bleeding badly, red dripping down her fur. She shakily put her paw down and began pulling herself away, screaming loudly in the process. I just stood and watched, not quite sure what to do. She finally freed herself before collapsing onto the ground, chocking and coughing violently.

I slowly limped over to her and looked down at her; her green eyes were still lit with ferocity, but they were quickly dimming. Her chest heaved wildly, and I got a closer look at her wound; it was bad.

"Well," Russetfur wheezed, her voice almost inaudible. "You've got... one more life... to add to your collection, don't you...?" Her eyes widened and she gruesomely began hacking up blood, gasping loudly. I fought the urge to turn and flee and flattened my ears slightly. I tried to think of what would be appropriate to tell her in this situation- _should I tell her I'm sorry? Should I tell her that what the band was doing was out of my control? Should I bring back the topic of how her Clan had killed so many, as well?_ I opened my mouth to speak, but she now lay still, her eyes still open, her neck still bleeding, her lips still curled back in one last snarl of defiance.

I let my tail drooped and lurched forward to close her eyes with my paw before stepping back. For the longest time, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. It had all just happened so suddenly. I looked up at the sky; it was now a beautiful shade of blue, and thin, wispy clouds began to blow by.

I turned back into the direction of ShadowClan camp and I began to limp back, stumbling several times along the way. Every limb in my body was aching with exhaustion, not to mention that many of my wounds were still bleeding. I lowered my head, panting as I continued on. My head throbbed and I paused, glancing around; my vision was growing blurry. I squinted my eyes when my trembling legs suddenly gave way. I fell to the earth on my side, feeling lightheaded and somewhat dreamy. My eyelids flickered a few times, and at that time I couldn't tell if I was imagining things or not, but a beautiful silver she-cat appeared at my side. Her eyes were wide.

"Nightfall...? Nightfall! Nightfall, are you okay? What happened! Nightfall!" I smiled slightly; it was Sapphire.

That was the last thought that lingered in my head before I sank into darkness.

.r.u.s.s.e.t.f.u.r.

I opened my eyes- StarClan knows how long it had been since I'd lost consciousness- and I found myself in a dim den. The scent of herbs and other cats surrounded me, and it took me a few seconds to remember what had happened. Wincing, I sat up and glanced around; I was inside Leafpool's den. I noticed Cloudtail and Whitepaw in the corner; the tom was lying protectively beside his daughter, who was fast asleep. Thornclaw lay with the same condition as the apprentice a few foxlengths away.

"Nightfall! You're awake!" I blinked and turned to see Sapphire, up on her paws and grinning widely. She walked over me, sitting down across from me.

"Y-Yeah," I meowed. "I..."

"She found you nearby," a voice said. I whirled around to see Leafpool, a pile of herbs at her feet. She looked tired and practically emotionless, and her fur was quite ruffled from not having groomed it in a while. "You had collapsed. I looked over your wounds; none of them are very bad. It was mainly due to exhaustion." She turned her back to me, lowering her head as she soundlessly continued sorting her medicine. "You still shouldn't move too much, though."

"Leafpool," I murmured, sighing. "Thank you." The she-cat flicked an ear, but gave no reply. I slowly blinked my amber eyes and turned back to Sapphire, who was looking over me with concern.

"I noticed you were gone after a while," she explained quietly. "I caught your trail, along with two others from ShadowClan. I got really worried, so I tried to track you down... and you were lying on the ground, bleeding." She took in a deep breath, letting it out with a huff. "You had me worried, Nightfall!"

"I'm fine," I assured her, giving a tired smile. "I just haven't gotten any rest for a while now, is all. Speaking of which, what about the band? What was the the outcome of the battle at ShadowClan?"

"We won," she replied, lying down onto her side. "We took down ShadowClan and RiverClan both. After I found you and dropped you off to Leafpool, I ran back to ShadowClan- the battle was still going on, but it didn't last for much longer. There were no survivors- even Leopardstar and Blackstar were killed. Anyway, instead of going to WindClan, I asked Dire if I could stay with you, and he said yes. I suppose he didn't think he'd need too many warriors if it's only one more Clan he's after. So they're all still out there." She blinked and looked at the ground, digging her claws into the ground. "A few of us were killed, though." I froze and felt as my heart began to beat against my chest; "Mourn is fine," she told me, reading my mind. I let out a shaky sigh and nodded. "The ones who were killed are Mare, Tika, Hunter and Harmony."

I flattened my ears. I hadn't known Mare too well at all- I really was never too popular among the group as a whole- but I always knew her as the elegant, tall she-cat who seemed to be polite to everyone. Tika I knew much better, and at that time, it seemed like it had been ages since we'd been in the forest together with Kano and Scarlet. I shuddered as the memory of the tree crushing the tom shot through my mind.

Hunter and Harmony I was friendly acquaintances with, I suppose- they were mates, and a couple of the older cats in our band.

"Have you told Scarlet about Tika yet?" I asked in a hushed voice. "Scarlet was one of the cats to stay here and guard the prisoners."

"Yeah, I did," she sighed. "She was devastated. She ran off- I don't know where she is know. Probably just out in the woods." The she-cat shifted her position so that her head was laying on her paws. She closed her eyes, but then opened them and looked at me before saying, "By the way, Nightfall, while I was taking you back here, I found a ShadowClan cat. She was a ginger she-cat, and she was lying dead on the ground, not too far from where I found you." She lifted her head, looking at me curiously. "Did you...?"

"Russetfur," I sighed. "She came after me and fought me. She ran into the branch of a tree and it punctured her neck. I suppose that in a way, though, I was the one who killed her."

Sapphire was silent. She looked away for a moment before meowing, "Why _were_ you out of camp, anyway, Nightfall? Were you chasing someone?"

"Y...Yeah. A tortoiseshell she-cat... Her name's Tawnypelt. She was the sister of someone in ThunderClan. I saw her sneak out, and so I went after her."

The silver tabby stared at me; "Wait, Tawnypelt? Someone named Tawnypelt is here in this camp, right now."

I blinked; "What?"

"She barged into camp," a voice murmured; it was Leafpool. I turned to look at her, though her back was still to me. "She demanded that she see Brambleclaw. But your guards took her and stashed her into one of the empty dens. I guess they didn't want too many prisoners in the same place."

"So she's our prisoner, now?" I asked, looking at Sapphire. The she-cat frowned, tilting her head.

"I don't know. Maxwell... He said they might have to kill her. They're keeping her here until Dire comes back and he gives us his imput." I nodded slowly, and for some reason, the first thought that I had was that I should go and see her. _She probably hates me,_ I said. _She blamed me for his death. Why should she be friendly?_

I shook my head and looked at Leafpool. "Leafpool... How are Thornclaw and Whitepaw doing?"

"...Thornclaw should be alright," the medicine cat muttered after a few seconds. "That is, if he gets the rest he needs and my herbs work the way they should. Whitepaw..." She glanced over to the two. Cloudtail lifted his head wearily; he had been awake this whole time, but he hadn't said a thing. Just like Leafpool, he certainly wasn't being himself.

"Leafpool," he said, his voice cracking. "You can tell me. She's asleep. I just want to know the truth." I frowned and looked at the apprentice; her coat had at least been licked clean of blood, but her sides were heaving uneasily, and she had an unpleasant expression on her face, even in sleep.

"...She may not be able to fight it off," the medicine cat murmured. " Sickness from infection, that is. I checked her earlier; her temperature is rising. I did everything I could for her wounds, and just like in Thornclaw's case, she'll have a better chance if my poultices do what they should. But she's younger and much smaller; her body may not be able to handle everything that's happening to her."

"D-Do you think she'll die, then?" Cloudtail whispered, his blue eyes wide and glimmering with emotion. "After so much has happened... Brightheart's death, and now this..." He leaned down and pressed his nose to his daughter's ear. "She's the only one I have to hang onto anymore... I tried to leave her once. Back at the last Gathering. But now I know better, and I... She..." He cut off, burying his nose into her fur and saying nothing more.

"I'll do what I can, Cloudtail," Leafpool murmured. "I promise you that. I won't let her die so easily. Not her, too." She shot me a meaningful glance at this last sentence, and I flinched slightly, looking away.

After a few moments, I shakily got to my paws and walked over to where Thornclaw slept, curled up into a tight ball with his tail resting over his nose. I leaned down beside him and quietly licked one ear; "You'd better be okay, too," I whispered. "Alright?" The tom shifted a bit, as if he'd heard me. I smiled slightly and nodded.

Only about a minute later could I hear cats approaching, and many new, yet familiar, scents.

"Who's that?" chirped Sapphire, jumping to her feet in alarm.

"It's the band," I murmured. Wincing a bit due to my soreness, I limped over to the den's entrance, glancing outside. It wouldn't be long until sunhigh, and the day was growing even warmer- hotter than most. Summer was nearly here.

Sapphire ran up to stand beside me, and we watched as a dark brown tabby tom appeared through the camp's bramble entrance- Dire. With narrowed eyes, he took a few glances around before he began down the stone slope, dozens of cats following behind.

"That certainly didn't take long," commented Sapphire. "Oh, there's Tin! And he's still unhurt!" Without another word, the she-cat took off towards her brother, who greeted her with fondness.

As cats began to fill in the hollow, I pricked my ears, spotting Badger and Mourn standing together. I grinned a bit and trotted over to them.

"Mourn!"

My brother jumped a bit and looked over, his amber eyes full of confusion. When he recognized me, he let out an alarmed gasp and ran over to me, Badger following behind him.

"Nightfall!" he breathed. "Where have you been? Are you okay? Dire told me that Sapphire said you collapsed, and-"

"I'm fine, Mourn," I chuckled. "Leafpool said that I blacked out from exhaustion. I'll be alright." I blinked and looked at them. "I'm assuming the battle of WindClan went smoothly, then...?"

The two friends exchanged somewhat worrisome glances, and I tilted my head.

"W-Well," Mourn stammered, "you can't really say that it went _well,_ since it never really happened, but..."

"They weren't there," Badger quickly explained. "We searched all over the moors and found a hollow. There were dens and the scents of lots of other cats- it was their camp. But they were gone, all of them. It was completely deserted."

"So you came right back here," I murmured. "Well, I suppose that's only one less thing we need to worry about."

"That's not necessarily true." I pricked my ears and lifted my head; walking through the crowd to join us was Ross. He held his head high, and there was an unusual glint in his eyes. "We can't rule out the possibility that they have outside allies."

I flattened my ears. _Outside allies? Who else possibly lives around here that would serve as WindClan's _allies? But oddly enough, I held myself back from saying anything.

"So you think that maybe they'll come back?" Badger fretted, worrisome. "With friends?"

"It's only a possibility," Ross replied swiftly, flicking his tail. "Anyway, Dire is about to make an announcement. It's important." The three of us watched wordlessly as the black and white tom turned and silently disappeared into the throng. We exchanged glances, but before any of us could say anything, Dire's yowl rang out.

"Everyone, gather below! I have vital news!" There he was, sitting up on the Highledge, beside Firestar's now empty den. I watched as Ross, after a few moments, scrambled up the rocks to sit beside his and brother. It was practically as if we had _two_ leaders now.

A few cats chattered curiously as they began to settle down. A few with the worse wounds went immediately to Leafpool's den, but most sat with smiles on their faces, probably preparing to give out yowls of victory now that we had three Clans under our belt.

"As you all are aware," Dire called, "we have now defeated ThunderClan, ShadowClan, and RiverClan." He closed his eyes and nodded, pausing to allow a roar of triumphant yowls. I winced, as one tom sitting near me had a particularly loud bellow. I heard a few calls of "The lake is ours again!" Our leader looked down at us, his amber eyes glinting and a smirk visible on his face for a few short moments.

"However," he yelled, silencing us. "We traveled to the fields and saw that WindClan was gone. They must have gotten a warning from someone that we were coming and fled while they could." For a second, I could have sworn that Ross was staring directly at me. I flinched and quickly shook my head, lashing my tail irritably.

"We cannot rule out the possibility that they have outside allies," he continued, and I found it quite fitting that Ross had used almost those exact words. "There is a chance that they may come back. It's unlikely, at the moment, but still a possibility. We will have several guards standing watch around the camp at all times. I will also send out frequent patrols." I stared at him, a bit taken aback. It seemed to me as if he was shaping his band into something more and more of a Clan. Whether it was intentional or not, I couldn't tell.

"We have also lost four lives tonight- Harmony, Tika, Mare, and Hunter. They were killed by ShadowClan and its allies; however, do not become depressed by mourning for them. They were sacrifices that were needed in order for this mission to become a success." _Interesting way of putting it, Dire,_ I thought, my whiskers twitching. _Just sacrifices; is that all they were? _Despite his words, though, a few cats hung their heads, whimpering and murmuring sad little words beneath their breaths. I looked around, but I noticed that Scarlet was nowhere to be found. Was she still out in the forest?

"I have one more announcement to make," Dire said. "An important one." He shifted his position, puffing out his chest. "As you're all aware, we now have a large territory- the lake is ours once again. However, if we really _are_ in the danger of being attacked by outside forces, we need to _protect_ our land- protect it better than we had before I rose to power." I blinked and looked around, but no one seemed particularly bothered by these words. "And so, I feel it appropriate to elect a subordinate- a second-in-command, of sorts." He narrowed his eyes and called, "From this moment on, Ross will be my deputy. You will not only answer to me, now, but you will answer to _him,_ as well, or there will be consequences."

The crowd went dead silent. Whatever they were expecting him to say, this was quite the opposite. I stood there as well, shocked, my mouth hanging open. We _were_ becoming a Clan, now. And one young tom felt the need to share that.

"B-But," stammered Mourn out of the blue, breaking the silence. A few gasped and looked over at him, taken aback that he would even _think_ about speaking out against Dire's decision. I stared directly at him, mentally begging that he would stop talking. "F-Forgive me, Dire," my brother said, growing embarrassed. "But may I point out that by appointing a deputy, we're acting just like a Clan...?" He swallowed and lowered his gaze, obviously regretting having spoken up. "We haven't even had a leader for that long. Are you sure we should be so quick to-"

"Silence!" snarled Dire, pulling his lips back. "Do you go against my word? Do you go against my _leadership?"_ The dark brown tabby stepped forward, and I nearly thought that he would end up tumbling down to the ground below. "It was by _my_ rule that you're all here now. By _my_ rule that we've taken back the lake!" He lashed his tail, his amber eyes blazing angrily. "Or do you question Ross's capability as a deputy...?"

"N-No!" Mourn gasped, stumbling back. Badger pressed herself against him, obviously concerned. "I..." He stared at his paws, ashamed. "No. I'm sorry."

I sighed, looking away. Why did my brother always have to speak at the worst possible times?

The band, still in a bit of shock, stared wordlessly up at Dire and Ross, obviously surprised by the former's sudden aggression. At the front of the crowd, a young male, probably no younger than nine months, hesitantly began cheering, "Ross! Ross! Ross!"

His friend glanced at him and began following along, followed by another. And another.

"Ross!"

"Ross!"

"Ross!"

In these moments, Ross stepped forward to stand right at the edge of the cliff beside Dire, his gaze hard, yet his eyes, catching the light of sunhigh, glimmered with a new power.

"Ross, Ross!"

"Ross!"

I just stood there in shock as I watched him contentedly soak in the cheers around him, a tiny smirk appearing on his face as the two of them looked down upon us.

Ross really was the splitting image of his brother.

**Have any of you caught that Nightfall technically is a canon Clan name? Night is a real prefix, and fall is a real suffix~ *strikes chin mysteriously***

**I think I like this chapter more than the last. I spent so long trying to think up an ending; I hope this one is suitable. :'3 Reviewers get... a double plushie! Nightfall and Mourn as little kits. :3 I love CC~!**

**Au revoir pour maintenant, mes cheries,**

**Pearly**


	23. Chapter 23: Night After

**So, if you know me, you'll know by now that I say I'll do things and then never do them. q.q Ehh. *cough***

**I know I said I'd post another chapter before I went to camp, but... Well, I didn't. D: But I thought that I'd at least put up a chapter before I leave for two weeks AGAIN come Friday. I might even get one more in if I lock myself in my room. :3**

**Review Replies:**

**LegendaryHero: Thankies, once again. :'3 And as for Thornclaw and Whitepaw, they were just wounded in the battle like most of the others who weren't killed. And CC is constructive criticism. x3 It's become a sort of habit to say it at the end of each chapter, now. :3 Merci for reading~!**

**Macey-the-Invisible: ALTERNATE SPELLING FTW 8D And I know, Ross can be a meanie D: Teehee. *Bops him on the head as well* Crazy loon. 8DD *glomps***

**LittleSpark: Yush, I DID update. Which occurs once in a blue moon. 8D And maybe you'll see who warned WindClan eventually~ x3 *glomps***

**Revriley: Heh, I thought about Tigerstar when I was writing the bit about Ross being deputy, too. Not that it will necessarily turn out like that, but still~ 83 Thankies for reading! 83 *glomptackles***

**EeveeCelebi749: You have many, many plushies, now. 8D And heehee, I agree about Leopardstar and Blackstar being dead. 8DD *does a lil' jig* Thankies for readin'! 83 *glomps!***

**KawiiSushi: Here you go! :3 Thankies for readin'! 83 *glomps***

**rosepetal24: 8DD Thankies! *glomps***

**Chat et Chocolate: ...*watches Chat and her army from afar with binoculars* D: *continues hiding***

**Katie Ladmoore: Thanks so much! 83 And I seriously doubt that you're slower than me. xD *glomps***

**Kay: ...Y-You're review made me smile. :'3 Thanks so much for reading, and I'm glad you enjoy! 83 *glomps!***

**Jay Witness: Well, you'll just have to see how Ross and Thornclaw will turn out in the end. 8DD Thanks so much for reading it for so long! :3 Spitting image? Splitting image... ehh, I don't know, you're probably right 8DDD Well, hopefully everyone got the idea. 8DDD**

**Falconflight: Really? Mysterious? 83 I'll take that as a compliment; I didn't think I was good at all at being mysterious. x3 Thankies so much! *glomps***

**Saphira Flametongue: Thanks so much! 8DD And I know, poor Clans. q.q Hope you enjoy~! 83 *glomps***

**riverstar: Thanks! 8D Hmm, Mourn with black fur? I always picture him with white fur. 8D I sort of like how Nightfall's black and Mourn's white- they can be so different, but they're basically best friends. :3 Thanks so much for readin'! 83 *glomps***

**Recap: (Oh, God, what even happened last chapter? q.q *refreshes memory*) Russetfur has a chat with Nightfall before they finally begin to battle. Nightfall gets a few wounds, but nothing serious, and ends up winning the battle when Russetfur runs into a sharp branch, piercing her neck and thus killing her. Nightfall soon passes out due to exhaustion and wakes up in Leafpool's den. She talks with Sapphire, who had found her and brought her to Leafpool. Sapphire tells Nightfall that the rest of the band defeated ShadowClan and RiverClan, the only survivor being Tawnypelt, who was now being held hostage by the band. The band soon returns after their supposed battle with WindClan, but WindClan had fled before they even got there. Soon, Dire appoints Ross "deputy," and Nightfall begins to realize that her leader is slowly shaping their band into a sort of Clan.**

**Here we guuu.**

Chapter 23

_Night After_

There she was, curled up in the back of the elders' den, her back facing me, her fur ruffled uncleanly. She was hiding her face and her ears were flattened, but I could tell that she was not asleep. I took a step inside, letting out a sigh as I tilted my head, frowning. I was lucky that Maxwell was even letting me see her- it had taken a few minutes of convincing and a bit of arguing to do so.

I glanced around; other than us, there was no one in the den. I noticed that the nests of all the elders were still there, though the moss was drying up and growing brown. Someone ought to replace them, or at least dispose of them.

I sat down with a huff, wrapping my tail around my paws. I glanced over at her and cleared my throat- she flicked an ear. I opened my mouth to speak, but then something caught my attention- it was the tiny body of a mouse a few taillengths from where she lay. Maxwell had given it to her a couple of hours ago, but she hadn't touched it.

"...Tawnypelt?" I murmured after a while. "It's me, Nightfall. You met me on your way here. Remember?" The tip of her tail lashed, but she said nothing. I sighed and continued. "I just came by to see if you were okay. I noticed you haven't had any of your mouse, yet... You really should eat."

Still, the tortoiseshell said nothing. I really hadn't expected her to. Not only had she just discovered that her brother had been killed, but her entire Clan had been wiped out. She was the only survivor. _"Maxwell... He said they might have to kill her. They're keeping her here until Dire comes back and he gives us his input."_ Sapphire's words echoed through my head; Dire was back, but I hadn't heard anything regarding Tawnypelt. Which for now, I suppose, was good news.

"You probably hate me," I said quietly, giving a small, sad smile. "I don't blame you. But... Brambleclaw isn't coming back. And I'm sorry." I frowned and looked down at my paws for a moment before looking back at her. "But you've got to keep..." I trailed off, because now, she was sitting up, looking at me dully. I stared at her back, neither of us saying anything for a long time.

"...I appreciate your sympathy," she muttered under her breath, looking away. "But I don't need it." She peered up at me, her eyes narrowing very slightly. "You didn't even _know_ my brother. Don't talk to me as if you have any idea what I'm feeling right now." With that, she once again turned her back to me, lying back down and curling up into a tighter ball than before. I blinked slowly; what she said was true. Although I _had_ made a sort of home out of ThunderClan, Brambleclaw was one of the few I never really got to know. Silently, I got to my paws and walked outside.

A shaggy gray tom was waiting by the den- it was Maxwell. He looked over at me curiously; "Did she say anything?"

"...No," I replied. "She didn't say anything."

"I didn't think she would," he replied with a matter-of-fact tone, closing his eyes and giving a firm shake of his head. "She's a quiet one. Who can really blame her, though? After all she's gone through."

"Yeah," I agreed absently, nodding to him before I began to wander off. "Who can blame her?"

It was evening- the same day in which Dire led his cats back from WindClan. It seemed so peaceful now, it was hard to believe that we'd just had two long, consecutive battles. The sun was close to setting, leaving a marvelous orange sky. Any clouds from the day had cleared up, and already a few stars were visible. I sighed and glanced around to see what was going on; a few groups situated around the hollow were talking, and Ember was sorting through the freshkill pile (which, at this point, was quite small, since we hadn't quite yet had the chance to go hunting). Many others had decided to retire for the night and got to pick from the assortment of available dens- these cats included Mourn and Badger, who had decided to cuddle in the warriors' den. Others would spend the night under Leafpool's somewhat reluctant care.

I sighed again, exhaustion weighing me down. I suppose my period of unconsciousness couldn't quite be classified as "rest." Still, I was feeling a bit better, now that my wounds had begun to heal. I looked around tiredly for a place to sleep, when a flash of silver caught my eye. I pricked my ears and watched as Sapphire hurriedly trotted towards me, and I could immediately detect concern in her expression.

"Sapphire," I mewed, padding over to meet her. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"Oh," she said, her tail flicking anxiously, a frown on her face. "It's probably no big deal, I just... I'm worried about Scarlet." She tilted her head, staring at me uneasily. "She still hasn't come back since she learned about Tika."

"Sapphire," I murmured, "her sister just died. She just needs time."

"I-I know that," she replied, flattening her ears slightly. "It's just... I'm afraid she'll do something stupid. You know Scarlet..." She sighed and got to her point; "I think I'm going to go out and look for her. Will you come with me, Nightfall?" I let out a deep breath; I wanted nothing more than to get some sleep, but it couldn't hurt to go out and find her, if it would at least put Sapphire at ease.

"Sure," I nodded, and started for the stone slope. "Let's go."

"Wait!" the she-cat exclaimed. "Shouldn't we get Dire's permission first?" I froze and turned to look at her, for a moment nonplussed.

"...Since when do we need Dire's permission to go walking?" I asked. "He won't care. Let's just go, before it gets too dark." My friend, after a moment of hesitation, nodded and trotted after me.

One by one, stars began to appear in the sky as the sun sank closer to the horizon. My whiskers twitched as the two of us walked through the forest- _I just hope we'll make it back to camp in the dark._ All around us, owls were hooting, crickets were chirping. It was even a bit hot, and for a moment I wished that I could wade in the streams.

"So she left camp nearly eight hours ago?" I asked, glancing sideways at her. "And no one's seen her since? Not at all? You sure?"

"Well," Sapphire replied, a bit fretful, "I asked a few others, and they said they hadn't seen a trace of her since we came back from ShadowClan."

"We won't be able to search any further than ThunderClan territory," I murmured, flicking an ear and flinching slightly as an owl hooted from a tree overhead. "It'll be too dark. If we can't find her, we'll have to put off the rest of the search till morning." Sapphire flattened her ears in response; "Don't worry," I told her. "She'll be fine, but you can't blame her. I mean, how would you feel if someone told you that Tin was killed?" The she-cat's eyes grew wide and she stared at me, her mouth hanging open speechlessly. "Sorry," I mewed quickly. "But I can imagine how you'd feel."

"I suppose it'd be the same for you if Mourn died," she said quietly, looking down as she walked. I frowned and didn't say anything, but I suddenly froze in my tracks. That one dream I'd been having suddenly flashed through mind- the one where I was standing on the stony ground, rain hammering down, lightning flashing. I kept forgetting about this dream, but it continued to reoccur in my sleep- and each time, it was more and more vivid.

Hadn't that been Mourn, lying mangled on the stone, covered in blood? Hadn't I been the one standing over him?

"Nightfall?" Sapphire's voice shook my out of my thoughts. "You alright?" I blinked and nodded, giving a tiny laugh.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry." Because it had only been a dream. That's all.

We didn't talk much throughout the rest of our search; both of us obviously had a lot on our minds. It wasn't long until we reached the stream- the stream that had marked the division between ThunderClan and ShadowClan. We followed it until we stepped out into the open, reaching the lake.

"Wow," whispered my friend, taking a step forward onto the sandy shore. She stared out at the water, which was as beautiful as always. Only a few stars were reflected on the water now, though, because clouds were slowly coming back in. I squinted my eyes, but I couldn't see the land across the lake. It was too dark.

Sapphire stepped forward, her mouth hanging open as she took just a step into the water, letting it lap against her paws. A cool breeze flew by, ruffling our fur and rustling the trees behind us.

I walked up beside her and stood next to her, smiling tiredly. "Isn't it pretty?"

She nodded. "It's beautiful. This is the first time I've seen it since we lived here ages ago." I flicked an ear, remembering that the first time _I'd_ been at the lake before we all left was with my mother, who was telling me about the fields across the water, about the butterflies. And when was the _last_ time...? Was it when I was sitting with Ross, looking out at the scenery together?

Ross. I felt some sort of twinge inside me when I thought of only his name. At that time, he'd smiled at me, as if we were friends. But maybe that was never what he had intended. Because now that his brother was back and we once again ruled the lake, he's barely laid even an eye on me. I suppose he has bigger, better things to occupy his time with.

Like being a deputy.

"...We should go back," I said quietly after a few minutes. "We won't be able to continue our search tonight, especially now that the clouds are coming in. And maybe someone's wondering where we are."

"I just hope she's alright," Sapphire rasped.

"Why are you so worried?" I asked, looking at her. "She'll be fine. Trust me."

"I'm worried," the she-cat answered quietly, "because I don't even _want_ to knowwhat I would do if _Tin_ were to die."

I said nothing.

We made out way back to camp, finally slipping into the bramble entrance and making our way down the rocky slope. I looked around; most had gone to bed by now, but there were a few guards standing watch. I spotted Dire and Ross standing together on the Highledge, and when they spotted us, they made their way down the steep path and started over towards us.

"Uh oh," whispered Sapphire. "I _knew_ we should've gotten Dire's permission." I blinked and opened my mouth to reply, but was cut off.

"Where have you two been?" growled Dire as he and his brother reached us. I stared at him in surprise; "We were taking a walk," I answered evenly.

"And you decided not to tell _anyone?"_ he hissed, lashing his tail. "As I said earlier, we need to be on our guard due to WindClan's disappearance. Two cats going out of camp alone at night is an idiotic idea." Sapphire shrank back, but I narrowed my eyes and said, "We were looking for Scarlet."

"There's no need to look for _Scarlet,"_ the leader snapped, stepping forward, his eyes narrowed. "She will come back when she's ready."

"How do you know?" I countered, raising my voice. "This is _Scarlet_ we're talking about. We wanted to make sure she wouldn't do something _stupid!"_

"Silence," growled Dire, flicking his tail. "I advise you to listen to your leader the next time you think about doing anything like this." I stared at him and then glanced at Ross, hoping for some kind of help. He looked at me back, his expression completely impossible to read. He didn't say anything. It figured.

I narrowed my eyes and fought the urge to pull back my lips into a snarl; instead, I stomped past them, heading towards the medicine cat den.

"Nightfall, wait!" I turned around to see Sapphire following me, her eyes wide. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," I replied. "I just need some sleep right now. I'm exhausted." The she-cat blinked but nodded, understanding.

"Alright. Night."

I walked in to face almost complete silence- it seemed as if everyone was asleep, even Leafpool. Herbs were scattered everywhere, and beneath their smells was the faint scent of blood. I looked around at the sleeping cats; the ones from the band had distinctively separated themselves from the Clan cats. I sighed and padded forward. For some reason, I felt more at ease here. I lay down in the alley between the two groups, settling down between ThornClaw and a small gray tom named Herring. I let out a sigh, not wanting to think about anything. I just needed sleep.

"...Duskfeather?" I flinched at the voice and lifted my head, my ears pricked. Blinking his eyes open tiredly was Thornclaw, nestled at my side. It was hard to define his features in the dark, but I could tell he was confused. "What're you-"

"Sh," I warned quietly. "Keep your voice down. Everyone else is asleep." The tom lowered his head a bit in response. I didn't realize it until a few moments later, but I was smiling- I hadn't talked to him at all since the battle with ThunderClan, and we had only shared a few words.

"Duskfeather," the tom whispered, blinking with a bit of worry. "Why are you here? Are you hurt?"

"No, no," I assured quickly. "I just..." I glanced over at the den's entrance; "I just like it in here." Thornclaw narrowed his eyes the tiniest bit in reply. He obviously wasn't too convinced.

"Are you sure you're alright, Duskfeather?" he murmured, flattening his ears. "You look like something's troubling you." I looked up at him; was it really that easy to tell? I was, for a moment, tempted to tell him everything on my mind: WindClan's disappearance, Dire's slow forming of a Clan, Scarlet, Ross... But it wasn't fair of me to dump _my _problems on _him,_ considering all that's happened to him. When I looked a little closer, I noticed that his fur was ruffled and clumped with dirt and dried blood. His eyes were dull, his shoulder sagged, and a tiny piece of moss hung from his left whiskers. He'd barely gotten any sleep recently.

"It's nothing," I sighed, looking away. "And... you don't have to call me Duskfeather anymore, you know. You must know my real name by now, don't you?"

"...Nightfall," he said quietly. "I know. But... It'll take a while for me to get used to it." He smiled slightly; after a moment, I smiled back. But it didn't last for long. I looked at the ground, my ears flattening.

"...We were friends when I was Duskfeather. I remember saving you from that fox trap, taking walks with you, the two of us laughing hysterically..." My tail flicked, and I tried to ignore the feeling of discomfort that was coming over me. "You were one of the first real friends I've had here." _One of the first I've had _ever, I added in my mind.

Thornclaw stared at me, as if trying to determine whether or not I was done.

I kept talking. "But then I turned out to be a spy. Sent here for the purpose of gaining your trust and leading the rest of us here to finish you off." I peered up at him, and our eyes locked for only a moment before I closed mine, dipping my head. "I'm sorry, Thornclaw. If you don't hate me for what I've done, then I'm not quite sure what's wrong with you. I-"

"Duskfeather, stop!" he cut in. The tom sat up and put out a paw, using it to lift up my chin. He frowned and stepped back. "I don't hate you, Duskfeather. I thought it was clear. You've saved my life twice, now, and I know that you aren't the kind of cat you say you are." He grinned a bit before murmuring, "You know, there was a time back then when I had my doubts about you. Not just_ you- _Snowclaw and Darkwhisker, too. But I never said anything. And even if I had, what would have changed? Rainwhisker _never _trusted you, but no one believed a word he said. So after a while, _I_ decided that he was wrong, too." He sighed and shook his head sadly. "You're different from the rest of them, Duskfeather... err, Nightfall. It's clear."

I stared at him, almost nonplussed. I hadn't predicted that sort of speech from him. He looked back at me, his expression hard to read until he finally smiled a tiny, sad, smile. I managed to smile back. He leaned forward to lick my ear assuringly, and my tail twitched with surprise. I grinned a little and opened my mouth to speak.

Unfortunately, I was cut off quite suddenly.

"Dire!" a voice shrieked from outside. "Dire, come quick! There's been... an incident!" I recognized that voice as one of the toms from my band- Thomas. I leapt to my feet, my eyes pricked in sudden alarm. The cat's yell had awoken a few, and they were now blinking and muttering in confusion.

"I'll be right back," I breathed, leaping past the others to try to get to the entrance. Some of the cats from my band were getting up in hopes to see what was going on, but the awakened Leafpool yelled at them to stay where they were.

I dashed outside- it was dark, but I could see the silhouettes of other cats as they all assembled in the hollow to see what was going on. A groggy Mourn appeared from the warriors' den, followed by Badger. I spotted Sapphire and ran over to her.

"What's going on?" I hissed. The she-cat shook her head frantically, her eyes wide.

"I don't know! Thomas was sent to lead a small patrol around the territory, but they're already back..."

"Silence!" came a loud snarl; heads were raised, and I could see Dire and Ross standing on the Highledge. The leader's eyes were narrowed to slits; "What happened?"

"Dire," Thomas breathed, stepping forward and bowing his head. I looked around- where were the two she-cats who he had taken with him?

There was a moment of silence.

"Well?" growled our leader impatiently. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Thomas flinched and bit his lip before closing his eyes, his tail drooping pitifully. "I... It's S-Scarlet," he murmured, trembling a bit. My eyes widened and I stared at him expectantly, though a feeling of dread was pouring into me. This couldn't be good, I could already tell.

"...W-We found her, out in the woods, by the border. She... She's dead." Another moment of silence, this time full of shock and horror and dismay as opposed to curiosity. I blinked several times, my mouth hanging open, and I felt Sapphire begin to shake beside me. After a painfully long moment of quietness, an eruption of gasps and shrieks and questions arose.

"What happened!"

"Who did this to her!"

"Are we going to be attacked?"

I looked up at the two brothers. Ross looked almost uncharacteristically alarmed, but Dire stared down at Thomas silently, looking as if he knew something. I wondered if I was the only one thinking if Scarlet had done this to _herself._

"Be quiet, all of you!" Dire yowled, trying to silence the crowd. He stared down at Thomas; "Where are Ruby and Vivi? They went with you on the patrol, did they not?"

"They're bringing Scarlet back," he quickly replied, nearly flinching.

Dire narrowed his eyes and nodded before calling, "Calm down, all of you! None of you are in any danger. It is very possible that this was a suicide." He paused to make sure he had everyone's attention. I narrowed my eyes and let my teeth grind- I _knew_ that this would happen. Dire had failed to understand that Scarlet was the kind of cat who would do something like this, and now he was talking as if he was teaching a kit how to catch a moth. He continued. "Her sister, Tika, was murdered just this morning, so we cannot rule out the idea that Scarlet, devastated, failed to think things through and eventually killed herself. She-"

"E-Excuse me, Dire," Thomas squeaked, looking down. "But that's not the case. We've already examined her body..."

"What?" hissed the dark brown tabby. "You mean to tell that she died in some other way!"

Then, at just the right time, two cats appeared from the bramble entrance at the top of the hollow. Ruby and Vivi, Scarlet laying on their backs, carefully made their way down the side. All eyes were on them as they bowed their heads, laying the she-cat on the ground before the Highledge. I gasped and ran forward to get a better view. It was Scarlet, alright- there was no doubt about it. Her eyes were still open wide, her mouth hanging open in an expression close to surprise. She had no wounds that I could see, other than a deep slash on the back of her neck.

Dire blinked and ran down the steep slope, Ross following right behind.

"S-see?" Thomas said when the two brothers reached them.

"She has a laceration at the back of her throat," Vivi murmured in a sad yet calm tone. "There could have been no way for her to reach that spot with her own claws. Plus, she has a look of shock on her face, as if she was snuck up on."

"You know what this means, don't you, Dire?" growled Ruby, her claws scraping against the stone ground. Our leader narrowed his eyes at the she-cat but nodded, raising his head.

"Yes. Someone did this to her. She didn't commit suicide- she was killed."

**...I really don't know what to think of this chapter. q.q Ehhhh. q.q**

**Reviewers get a Scarlet plushie? Ehhh? 8'DD *holds out plushie hopefully* I love CC~! And you lovely people, as well! 8D Much love.**

**Till next time!**

**Pearly**


	24. Chapter 24: What We Aren't

**...That awkward moment when I haven't updated this in half a year.**

**So, hey guys. I know, I'm back. Crazy, right? I even surprised myself, since I had pretty much convinced myself that I'd given up on this and should forget about finishing it. But I had a change of heart and decided that I really wanted to just finish this. (: I've been super busy lately (which is what I always say, I know, but bear with me), but this time I should actually have a bit more time to work on this. I've already gotten a few chapters completed that will be up soonish. And I know a lot of people have probably left FF and/or given up on me ever finishing this since I've been gone xD'' but, for anyone who's still reading this, this is for you. (: Thanks so much to everyone who's been reading and reviewing. Y'all mean the world to me.**

**Recap: That evening, Nightfall tries to talk to Tawnypelt, who is remaining as a hostage in what used to be ThunderClan's elders' den until Dire decides what to do with her. Tawnypelt speaks to her quite coldly, telling her that she has no idea how she's feeling right now. Nightfall leaves and talks to Sapphire, who shares her worries about Scarlet, who had left that morning after learning of her sister's death. They decide to go and look for her, and briefly discuss their brothers, and when they reach the lake, Nightfall thinks about Ross. They eventually go back, without a single lead as to where Scarlet could have gone. Dire criticizes them, saying that they shouldn't have left without permission. Annoyed, Nightfall walks off into the medicine den, and talks to Thornclaw for a bit, only to be interrupted by an exclamation outside. Nightfall goes outside and learns that Scarlet is dead. They first believe that it was suicide, but it's discovered that she was killed.**

**That's all for now, je pense. Well, here we go...**

Chapter 24

_What We Aren't_

_"It's Graystripe,"_ a voice seemed to whisper into my ear as I stood there, my eyes wide. _"We were patrolling the ShadowClan border and we found him on the ground. We thought he was hurt, so we ran over to him..."_ I swallowed, because for some reason, that same scene in which we learned of Graystripe's death was replaying in my mind. And for just a moment, I could have sworn that I saw the faint outlines of Sandstorm and Firestar as the she-cat, trembling, told him what had happened.

_"Graystripe's _dead, _Firestar. And not only that, but he was _killed."

"Scarlet was _killed!"_ a voice nearby rang out suddenly, causing me to jump back into reality. "What d'you mean, killed? You sayin' an outsider did it?" A few more were also throwing out exclamations, while some were whispering to each other in alarm, their fur fluffed out in anxiety. Others just stood there in shock, staring quietly at the body now laying in front of them.

"What if we're in danger?" gasped a pregnant she-cat, her lower lip quivering. "What if whoever did this will come back?"

"I'll betcha it was WindClan," growled a young tom, stamping his paw on the ground. "Or another survivor that slipped away!"

"Hey, what about our hostages?" called out another. "Is it possible that one of them could have escaped!"

"Silence!" Dire growled, his order just as affective even as he was now level with the rest of us. "Everybody, calm down! We can't get worked up about this! We cannot let this event, as unfortunate as it is, drive us mad." He paused a minute to scale back up the Highledge- surprisingly, Ross didn't join him. Instead, he stood by Scarlet's body, quietly looking over it.

Having reclaimed his position above us, Dire continued. "It was a mistake to let Scarlet go out by herself, upset as she was of Tika's death. But as long as we remember to never leave camp without another, and as long as we continue to send out patrols and guards to keep watch at night, we'll be safe from whoever did this."

"B-But... Dire..."

"The killer could not have gotten far- it's possible that they're still lurking around here. Perhaps there is more than one."

"Dire..."

"It is also possible that-"

"Dire!" Thomas finally cried, and then immediately shrank back. Our leader narrowed his eyes, obviously irritated by the young tom. With a lash of the tail, he demanded, "What do you want, Thomas?"

The small orange tabby flinched, and he now looked at if he regretted saying anything at all. He glanced at his paws, swallowed, and finally murmured, "W-we checked thoroughly around the surrounding area, Dire. Several times. A-and, and we..." He flattened his ears. "We found no trace of any outsiders. Only the faint, mixed smells of the cats in our own band." I blinked and glanced at the tom, hoping for a moment that he was pulling our chain. Dire stared at him as well, his mouth hung open slightly.

"This isn't good," Sapphire whispered worriedly into my ear. My whiskers twitched as I looked back and forth between our leader and Thomas, waiting for someone to speak. Anyone.

"...What are you saying?" Dire growled slowly. "You think that someone in our band did it, then?" Cats around me began to anxiously murmur to each other as eyes darted around in fear and suspicion. I peered to my right to see Mourn and Badger huddling together; I swallowed and peered over at Thomas.

"I... I don't know who else could have done it," the timid cat squeaked. "We couldn't pick up one individual scent, but if it was an outsider, we would be able to tell."

"We can't trust your nose alone," Dire growled.

"We checked over and over again," snapped Ruby as Vivi sat quietly with her head bent low. "Do you want us to check _again?"_

"Yes," snarled our leader, "I do. I will send several patrols out into the territory to search for any traces of outsiders. Whatever it takes." He slowly shut his eyes and murmured, "Only when we have_ proof_ that it wasn't the work of an outsider will I believe that someone in _my_ band has killed her." I exchanged worried glances with Sapphire. Thomas, Ruby and Vivi seemed pretty certain that it was someone within our own band. But if that was the case, who could have done it? I closed my eyes and tried to remember who had left camp earlier in the day, but my mind was blank. In fact, the only cats that I was _sure_ had left the camp were... me and Sapphire.

"Thomas," Dire continued, "you will guide Maxwell and myself to where you found the body so we can investigate the matter more thoroughly. Ross will lead a group to patrol around the territory for any other signs... Listen!" he said louder, seeing that he was losing the band's attention. Now, everyone was chatting frantically about the whole ordeal; I even heard one she-cat excitedly whisper, "Who do you think did it?" I flattened my ears and glared at her.

"Everyone, stay calm and remain in camp until we deliver more news. Scarlet's body will stay here for mourning. Get some sleep, everyone. We'll have guards keeping watch around camp. There's nothing to worry about." With that, Dire leaped down the ledge to consult with Ross as the rest of us uneasily dispersed. I found myself taking another step towards Scarlet- a few others were looking off from afar, waiting for their turn to mourn.

I blinked slowly, finding it hard to do or say anything. But after a moment, I reached out my paw and closed her eyes and mouth. She could at least look a bit more at peace now. I tilted my head slightly, biting my lip. I remembered way back when the fire occurred at our second home, when I was hunting with her, Tika, and Kano. The nightmarish scene still made me shudder, especially the moment the tree fell down and crushed the tom. The two sisters had ran towards the burning trunk, and I had shrieked at them to get back. I supposed I'd always thought of the three of them as the trio of idiots, but... for some reason, looking at Scarlet like this made me wonder if there was more to her than I would ever know.

I stepped back, Mourn and Badger taking my place. I padded over to Sapphire, and we silently watched from several foxlengths away.

"...Wow," she said quietly after a few moments, shaking her head with disbelief. "First the battles, and now Scarlet's been killed... And maybe even by someone in our own band, at that!"

"Y... Yeah," I murmured absently, watching as Ross set up a small patrol and as Dire left with Maxwell and Thomas.

"...Hey," meowed Sapphire gently, placing her tail comfortingly on my back. "You seem more concerned than usual. I know this is all sudden, but you don't have anything to worry about, okay? We'll all be alright." I looked at her, wanting to tell her that that wasn't why I was worried. But I nodded nevertheless, my gaze drifting back over to where Scarlet was. Mourn and Badger had just finished mourning and were now making their way over to us.

My brother was staring at his paws, but at least Badger looked up to give us a sad, halfhearted sort of smile. They sat down beside us, and no one spoke for several moments.

"...I can't believe it," said Badger. "I mean, we've already lost a few due to the battles... But to think that one of _us_ would kill her?"

"By the way," I interjected, "has anyone buried the ones who died during the ShadowClan fight?" The others blinked and looked at me somewhat curiously before the black and white she-cat tilted her head.

"I... No," she said, seemingly surprised now that she could hear the words from her own mouth. "At least, I don't think so. I suppose it's a bit odd that we haven't held a proper vigil for them yet. Their camp's not too far from here. But now everyone's so occupied with Scarlet's death... We'd better bury them soon, though."

"Also," I said quietly, "do you know who's left this hollow since Scarlet ran off?"

"No," she replied, frowning. "I haven't been keeping track."

"Mourn, what about you?" I meowed, flattening my ears. "And Sapphire?"

"Nightfall, calm down!" Sapphire exclaimed. "You don't need to be so uptight about all of this. We'll find who did this to her and make sure it will never happen again." After I realized that all three of them were looking at me expectantly, I let out a short sigh.

"I really need some rest," I murmured. "It's late. I'll see you guys later." They watched me oddly as I got to my feet and padded off, most likely leaving them to wonder why I was heading towards the medicine den.

I was greeted by the cats inside; most of the band's cats had managed to escape from Leafpool's clutches to see what was going on, and were now outside mourning. The ThunderClan prisoners, of course, remained in their jail cell. Everyone had been jostled awake from Thomas's cry- except for Whitepaw, who was shivering in her sickly state, Cloudtail wrapped protectively around her. Thornclaw got to his paws as he saw me walk in, and Leafpool merely gave me a curt nod.

"Duskfeather," Cloudtail meowed quietly. "What's going on out there?"

I looked at the white tom and sighed, taking a seat beside Thornclaw. "Scarlet's been killed."

"Scarlet?"

"A she-cat from the band," I explained. "Her body was just discovered. We don't know who did it." I blinked slowly, wondering how much I should tell them. "She ran off this morning when she learned that her sister had died during the ShadowClan and RiverClan fight. At first, we thought that maybe she had killed her_self,_ but it's not possible. Someone did this to her."

"An outsider, or someone in your band?" Leafpool asked, keeping her eyes on a poultice she was making. She sounded blunt and expressionless. I looked at her, and after a few moments, I muttered, "I don't know." I yawned and lay down beside Thornclaw. He'd been awfully quiet.

"Are you alright?" I asked him, raising my head. He smiled meekly and nodded, settling back down in his nest of withering moss.

"I'm fine. Just tired."

I glanced over at Leafpool- I had the feeling that she didn't want me here. But she didn't say a word. I frowned and looked back over to the two white cats- "How's Whitepaw...?"

Cloudtail flinched at the question and glanced over at the medicine cat for the answer. The tabby lifted her head and closed her eyes, letting out a long sigh.

"Cloudtail, she..." She opened her eyes, a frown on her face. "I've done everything I could for her, Cloudtail. Her life is in the paws of StarClan now." The tom stared at her, his mouth hanging open as he tried to find the words to say.

"She... S-She-"

"That doesn't mean that she's doomed to die," Leafpool explained quietly. "It's possible that her health could turn around. But... You needed to know the truth. And the truth is that at this point, things aren't too hopeful." She lowered her head, closing her eyes before whispering, "I'm sorry, Cloudtail. I'll do everything I can for her and make sure she feels as little pain as possible."

I blinked slowly and looked at the two of them. The father, quivering slightly, said nothing as he leaned down and buried his nose into his daughter's fur. I knew that I couldn't even imagine how he was feeling right then, but it still tugged at my heart. Whitepaw really was the only thing he had to hold on to anymore.

I tried as hard as I could to push those thoughts out of my mind as I curled up into a tight ball, placing my tail over my nose. I tried to think of happy things, but the truth was that nothing _happy_ had happened in quite a while. The only thing that I could do was hope that things would change.

.w.h.i.t.e.p.a.w.

The late morning sunlight awoke me the next day. Blinking my eyes open, I tiredly got to my paws and peered around the den. Cloudtail was awake, still curled around Whitepaw, his blue eyes half closed.. He looked like an exhausted mess, and I wondered if he had gotten any sleep. When he saw that I was up, he gave me a tiny, tired nod. I gave a small, concerned smile, trying to look hopeful and probably failing.

Thornclaw and Leafpool were still fast asleep. The medicine cat must have been beat from taking care of all of these cats. Many of the wounded band members had moseyed back inside, though a couple had decided to sleep out near Scarlet.

After a quick stretch, I slowly made my way out of the den. It was another beautiful summer day, not a cloud in the sky. I noticed that a few band members were missing; most likely they were off on some patrol that Dire had set up.

I caught a flash of black and white from the corner of my eye, and looked over to see Ross walking up to me. And I flinched just a little, as I noticed I'd been doing around him lately. Not because I was scared or nervous around him, but because it hurt just a bit to know that we were once friends, and now he barely acknowledged my existence.

I snorted, telling myself I was being silly, because the only time we felt even relatively close to being "friends" was when we sat at the lakeside together, and when he smiled at me. Once. Or was it twice? It didn't even matter. So I returned the same blank expression that he gave me as he walked over. I wondered what he wanted.

He stopped and looked at me for a few moments; I waited for him to say something, flicking my tail. Finally: "Will you come help me bury Scarlet?"

I blinked, a bit shocked at his request. Why did he want _me? _We hadn't talked in days, it felt like. I tried searching his eyes for some clue, but they were emotionless as ever.

"...You're a 'deputy' now," I replied quietly, maybe sounding a bit more bitter than I'd intended. "You could just order me to help you and I wouldn't be able to refuse."

Ross stared at me, looking just the slightest bit surprised. "...Fine," he said evenly. "I order you to come and help me bury Scarlet."

I looked at him, flicking an ear before I started walking past him towards where Scarlet still lay in the hollow. Only one or two cats were still sleeping nearby, so we were cautious not to disturb them. Ross walked up beside me, murmuring, "Help me lift her onto my back." I carefully grabbed her by the scruff, trying to ignore the dried blood in her fur, and hoisted her onto Ross's back. He stood up, nodding to me as he headed towards the camp's entrance. I followed close behind.

We walked through the woods in silence for a while, before I padded up to his side, asking, "When are we burying the others?"

He glanced over at me; "There's a group out right now who went to the ShadowClan camp. They're taking care of everything."

"Are you burying the Clan cats, too?" He looked at me again before silently nodding. I set my gaze in front of me, swallowing as we kept walking.

"So where are we burying her?"

"Dire didn't want our cats to share ThunderClan's old burial grounds. He found a small clearing that we can use, close to the river. It's not too far ahead." I nodded slowly, looking around. It was already nearing noon, and birds and insects were chirping loudly.

"What are Dire's plans for our band?" I asked suddenly, in a low voice. Ross flicked an ear, not bothering to look at me.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean," I replied insistingly. "Even you have to see that what Dire is doing is turning our band into a Clan. He made you his _deputy!"_

At that moment, we broke through a clump of ferns, stepping into a small clearing. It looked as if Dire, or someone, had already cleared away some leaves and twigs. When I listened closer, I could indeed hear the river nearby. We were the only ones there; the patrol Dire had mentioned must have been dealing with the ShadowClan and RiverClan cats.

Ross carefully lay Scarlet on the ground and took a few steps away, beginning to dig. I stared at him, staying where I was.

"Well?" I pressed impatiently.

"Well what?"

"What is Dire going to do with our band?"

"How should I know?" Ross retorted, his voice nearing a growl as he kept his eyes focused on his digging.

"You're his _brother!"_ I exclaimed, stepping forward. "He tells you everything! Knowing him, making you his deputy is all part of some plan of his!" Finally, he stopped, slowly turning around and looking at me with narrowed eyes.

"You sure have had a lot of disdain for Dire, lately, haven't you?" My tail twitched; "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Not just him," he said swiftly, sitting down. "But for the whole band. ThunderClan changed you. You didn't want to fight them. The moment you stepped into their camp you turned your back on us-"

"That's not true!" I growled. "I never turned my back on you! I killed Brackenfur, just as the plan called for!"

"You didn't _want_ to, though," he muttered. "All you ever do is defend them. And Thornclaw-"

"What about Thornclaw?" I demanded, flattening my ears. Ross narrowed his eyes even further, looking directly at me.

"You're in love with him."

I took a step back, the fur on the back of my neck beginning to rise. I tried to think of something to say, but finally finished with, "So what if I liked ThunderClan? They're all dead now anyway! We got what we wanted- we got our revenge and got back our territory. So why are you-"

"Did you kill Scarlet?"

I stared at him, my mouth agape, my eyes widening in shock. That came out of _nowhere._

"Wh-what-"

"I mean, it wouldn't be too hard to believe," Ross said calmly, yet coldly, as he got to his paws and looked over at the she-cat's body. "It was done by someone in this band. And who would ever kill her but someone plotting against us?" He lashed his tail; "You're still on ThunderClan's side. You always were. It also just so happens that you were the only cat who went out last night, slipping away without permission and coming back when it was dark." He narrowed his eyes to slits; "Isn't that curious."

"Sapphire was with me," I growled, unintentionally digging my claws into the ground. "Are you saying she's the kind of cat who would commit murder?"

"No," Ross replied. "But you can't quite say that you aren't, can you?" I widened my eyes, an image of Brackenfur going through my mind. And suddenly, before I could even realize what I was doing, I lashed my paw out, striking Ross across the muzzle. A few drops of blood splashed onto the ground, and he winced, but just stood there, not bothering to counter. He looked at me with narrowed eyes, and I let out a shaky breath, swallowing as I looked at him.

"I didn't kill Scarlet."

After a few long moments, he turned around. Whether he believed me or not, all he murmured was, "Help me dig this grave." I nodded slightly, still a bit caught up in what had just happened.

It wasn't long before it was finished. Saying nothing the entire time, we placed Scarlet in the hole we'd dug, covering her. I stepped back, looking for flowers or something to give her, but there were none. So I took a few fern leaves and placed them at the foot of the grave, bowing my head.

"Goodbye, Scarlet," I mumbled.

"Let's go," Ross said curtly, turning to leave. I looked at him; "That's it? Don't you have anything to say?"

"No." He began to walk away, stopping only when I murmured, "Who _are_ you anymore?" He turned to look at me, and for a second I thought I could see some emotion darting though his gaze, though it could have just been my imagination. It probably was.

With that, he turned and disappeared into the undergrowth, leaving me standing there alone.


	25. Chapter 25: Perfect

**...Ur well, I meant to post this like, last week before I went away on a trip. Urr. Well, at least this only took weeks, and not months. I'm improving. I swear. Maybe.**

**Thanks to everyone who's been reading so far. Awkward that this story has been up for two years and still isn't done. **

**Recap: After the news that Scarlet's been killed is delivered, the band is left in panic- especially when they learn that it was most likely one of their own who killed her. The cats mourn for her, and Nightfall then goes to rest in the medicine den. Leafpool tells her and Cloudtail that Whitepaw isn't doing so well, and that her life is in the paws of StarClan, now. The next morning, Ross asks Nightfall to help him bury Scarlet. Though somewhat surprised that they're actually interacting again, she goes with him. Nightfall asks him what Dire's plans are for the band, but he doesn't give her a straight answer. He points out that she's had a lot of disdain for Dire lately, and asks if it was her that killed Scarlet, seeing as her and Sapphire had snuck out without permission one night. Nightfall is shocked and denies it, and she and Ross bury Scarlet's body in silence. Dire walks off, leaving Nightfall to wonder who he had become.**

Chapter 25

_Perfect_

Opening my eyes, I was greeted by darkness; I squinted and glanced around, trying to see. I rigidly walked forward, feeling grass beneath my feet, and I could just barely make out the outlines of trees against the sky. Part of me was blatantly aware that I was in a dream, though part of me was so convinced that it was real. I didn't quite know where I was going, but I told myself I had to keep walking. But then, I froze in my tracks, my ears pricked; very vaguely, I could hear whispers around me, but they were so faint that I couldn't tell what they were saying.

I kept walking just a bit further until I saw the indistinct outline of a cat. And another, standing several feet from the other. Their backs were to me.

"Hello," I said blankly, blinking. I waited for a moment until they turned around, their eyes glowing. After a few seconds, I felt my heart nearly stop; the one on the left was Ross, and the one on the right was... Brackenfur.

"B-Brackenfur," I stuttered, stumbling backwards a bit. "Ross...?"

They said nothing, and after gazing at me for a few moments, they turned, walking away in opposite directions.

I woke up with a start, leaping instinctively to my paws. My head was spinning just a bit, so I swallowing, sitting myself back down.

"Nightfall...?" I blinked and looked over to see Thornclaw, lifting his head sleepily. "What's wrong?" I quickly glanced around to make sure the others were still sleeping; they were. Even Cloudtail, who'd been up for nights worrying about his daughter... who still hadn't woken up since the battle.

"Uh," I replied. "Nothing. Just a bad dream." He looked at me for a moment before suddenly whispering, "Do you want to go for a walk?"

I stared at him. "Are you crazy?" I breathed. "You're still hurt. And if they catch us, you'll-"

"I'm fine," he insisted. "I'm at least well enough to walk. And no one will catch us. I just..." He paused, tilting his head a bit. "I haven't spent any time with you since before..." He trailed off, whisker twitching slightly as he looked at me, a hopeful little spark in his eyes. It was... kind of adorable.

My lips curved up into a smile, and finally I whispered, "Fine. But we have to be _careful,_ because if anyone sees us, we're _both_ screwed." I _knew_ this would be a bad idea, but just the way he looked at me made it nearly impossible to say no. I pushed that thought aside and cautiously walked towards the entrance, slipping out of the den.

It was a beautiful, starry night, and the moon was high. I glanced around; only two or three cats were sleeping outside. I peered over at the entrance, smiling when I saw that it was Mourn who was on guard duty.

"C'mon," I whispered, and Thornclaw silently followed behind me, looking around the camp. "You sure you're up for this?" I asked again; he smiled and nodded.

"I'm sure."

We carefully made our way up the stony slope of the hollow, and I approached Mourn. I opened my mouth, but realized that he was nearly asleep; his head was dropping, his mouth opened slightly. I smiled a bit and nodded to Thornclaw, continuing into the forest.

We waited until we were a fair distance from camp before we started to talk. And even when we weren't saying anything, I felt... at peace around him. Unlike the day before when I'd gone out with Ross to bury Scarlet. We walked side by side, our pelts occasionally brushing.

"...How have you been, Nightfall?" he asked quietly, glancing over at me. "You haven't seemed happy lately."

I smiled tiredly. "How can I be happy? ThunderClan doesn't want me, and neither does my own band." Thornclaw looked at me curiously.

"Your own band...? Because you saved me from Dire?" I gave out a short sigh; "That's only one of the reasons." He didn't say anything for a few moments; and then, "Anyway, ThunderClan is gone. For good. And why would wouldn't we want you?"

"Oh, no reason," I muttered sarcastically. "I mean, I was a traitor to the whole band, but no hard feelings, right?" I flicked an ear and let out a brief sigh; "I don't think the others will ever forgive me."

"That's not true," he protested. "I know they will. And Cloudtail cares a lot about you, you know. He knows you're a good cat. He..." He broke off, as if contemplating whether to continue. "He told me that you saved him, once. At the last Gathering." I blinked, the memory suddenly rushing back to me. Seeing the white tom face the water, the full moon reflected against it. Diving in after him and struggling to pull him up. The look of true grief in his eyes. That was back when the only thing ThunderClan had to worry about was ShadowClan. It felt like so long ago.

"...Yeah," I murmured. "But it was just a mistake on his part. And he realized that."

"But you're the one who _made_ him realize," Thornclaw replied. I didn't say anything. I stared at the forest floor as we walked, I suddenly murmured, "You know how I told you that Scarlet died, right?" He nodded rigidly.

"You said it might be someone in your own band." I nodded, too.

"...Ross- well, you know, Darkwhisker-..." I stopped in my tracks, looking at him. "He thinks I killed her."

"What?" Thornclaw whispered, raising his eyebrows and quickly shaking his head in disbelief. "Why?"

"It's because I became so attached to ThunderClan," I said, surprised when my voice cracked a bit. "He thought I'd completely turned my back on the band."

"Well, he's wrong," Thornclaw murmured, walking over to me. "You're not the kind of cat who would do something like that_. _I know you, Nightfall._"_ He smiled slightly, resting his tail on my shoulder, but he pulled back with concern when he felt me trembling. "Nightfall?"

I could picture Brackenfur there, on that one rainy night, motionless, his blood on my paws.

"Nightfall!"

I whipped my head around to face him, my eyes wide.

"Nightfall, what's wrong?"

I swallowed. I couldn't tell him what I'd done. He'd realize that I wasn't the cat he thought I was. And then I'd have no one.

"Nothing," I said, letting out a breath. "I was just... thinking."

"Nightfall, please stop worrying," he murmured. "Just for this one night, can you be at least a little happy that we're both alive?" I looked at him, knowing from the glow in his eyes that he really did care about me. Maybe a little more than I thought. Finally, I smiled slightly, nodding.

"Yeah. Sorry."

Thornclaw grinned and batted my ear with his paw before darting off through the bushes. I laughed and followed after him, stopping after a moment when I realized he'd disappeared. I blinked and scanned the woods, cautiously creeping forward.

"Thorncl-" Suddenly, I felt something crash into me, knocking me onto my side. Bewildered, I looked up with widened eyes to see him smiling broadly down at me, a cheeky smile on his lips.

"Hi," he said sheepishly. I smirked, rolling my eyes.

"Hey, there." I grinned and playfully pushed him off, getting to my paws. We stood there for a minute, just kind of smiling at each other, before I said, "Remember that walk we took after I got you out of the fox trap?"

His whiskers twitched and he bit his lip; "Yeah. I... think I said something about you and... about you and Darkwhisker." I pricked my ears and examined him; I'd nearly forgotten about that.

"Right," I murmured. "I think I overreacted a bit, if I can recall."

Thornclaw vigorously shook his head; "N-No, it was my fault. I shouldn't have said anything." He then shuffled his paws and tilted his head, looking at me strangely. "Uh, did anything... I mean, nothing ever happened between you two, right...?" He blinked and shook his head; "I mean, you-"

"No," I said quietly. "It was never like that." He nodded slightly before he swallowed.

"But... did you _ever_ have feelings for him?" I looked at him. "Even a little?" I flicked an ear and frowned; he wasn't going to let this go. I opened my mouth slightly, but suddenly found myself at a loss of words. I swallowed and looked away.

"...So you do," Thornclaw said quietly. "I-"

"No," I quickly interjected. "I don't. I swear."

"Then why did you-"

"I-I... _might_ have," I stammered quickly, looking up at him. "A long time ago. But not anymore." I didn't know at the time if I had even meant what I'd said. It just came out. I wanted to convince him that Ross was completely out of the picture, but even then I wasn't entirely convinced, myself. I sighed and tilted my head, walking closer to him. He glanced up at me, looking a little bit like a lost kitten.

"O-oh," he murmured. "B-because, I... I really like you, Nightfall..." His eyes widened, suddenly realizing what he'd said and regretting not having kept it in his head. He flattened his ears in embarrassment, stumbling back a little. "I-I mean, I-"

I laughed lightly, trying to push any remaining thoughts of Ross out of my head. I padded up to him and brushing my cheek against his, smiling a bit. "I really like you, too, Thornclaw." The tom opened his mouth a bit, but didn't say anything. I backed up, looking at him.

"Y-You... I mean..." He smiled sheepishly. "You do?"

"Yeah," I said quietly, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed now, myself. "I do. Please don't worry." He nodded a bit before reaching over and linking my cheek; I purred and closed my eyes for a moment before glancing at him; "C'mon," I said. "It's a beautiful night. Shall we continue?" Thornclaw grinned and nodded.

"I have something to show you," he whispered, beginning to lead me into a new direction. I raised an eyebrow and sent him a questioning look, but didn't say anything. He smiled slightly, seeing my skepticism. "You'll like it, I promise."

He picked up his pace, and my short legs trotted after him curiously. I smiled a bit to myself, almost feeling _happy_ for the first time in a while. This was just what I'd needed.

Soon, we broke out of the bushes, and my eyes widened a bit. Hidden by brambles and bracken was a tiny beach, looking out over the lake. The water sparkled brilliantly, reflecting the waning moon and lapping peacefully against the shore. I walked forward, flinching a bit in surprise as I felt water beneath my paws. I looked over at him; "A beach?"

"A _secret_ beach," Thornclaw corrected me, "separated from the main shore. It's so small and well-hidden in the bushes that I doubt many cats know about this place." He smiled just a bit, a bit of sorrow in his gaze. "I used to come here all the time. Just to think, you know?" I nodded quietly, closing my eyes for a moment and letting the breeze ruffle my fur.

"Yeah," I murmured. I looked at him, suddenly saying, "...Once you're completely better... let's run away together."

He looked at me, completely stunned.

"W-What do you mean?" he stammered. "We can't do that. It'll just put you in more danger. I don't want to do that to you." He paused; "Besides, what about your brother...?" I blinked slowly and opened my mouth to respond, but suddenly stopped. My fur began to rise and I cautiously looked around, because I had the distinct feeling that there was someone nearby. Very nearby.

"Quick," I whispered. "Get in the bushes."

"Wha-"

"Just do it!"

We both carefully hid ourselves back into the bracken, trying not to make a noise. I pricked my ears, feeling my blood freeze when I heard the small snap of a twig.

"It's probably just a squirrel," whispered Thornclaw. "You-" I put my tail over his mouth to silence him and narrowed my eyes, looking out into the forest. My heart began to pound, and I bit my lip as I saw the outline of a cat slowly walking by. But who was it...?

I froze. It was Dire. Shit.

But what was he doing...? I glanced around; I didn't sense any other cats. No, he was alone. Thornclaw shifted his weight slightly, causing the bushes to rustle just the slightest bit. I held my breath, and my leader suddenly looked our way. My eyes widened; he was staring right at me. I didn't dare move a muscle, and prayed to StarClan that he didn't see us. After a painfully long moment, he continued on his way, quietly stalking through the undergrowth until he was gone.

I let out a shaky breath as I lifted my head, glancing at Thornclaw. His eyes were huge; "Do you think he saw us...?"

"I don't know," I muttered. "But we need to get back to camp. Now." I knew this was a bad idea, and I mentally cursed myself. "Come on. Maybe if we hurry and take the long way around, we can get back before Dire does."

I nodded to him and pushed through the bracken, returning to the darkness of the wood. I began to pick up my pace, swallowing every now and then out of nervousness. For some reason, this was as scared as I'd been in a while. But not for me. For him. What would they do to him if they found out we were out of camp together in the middle of the night?

I paused and glanced behind me; Thornclaw was struggling a bit to keep up, for he still hadn't gotten completely better. I frowned and waited for him; "You okay?" I whispered once he'd caught up. He nodded a bit.

"Y-Yeah," he said shakily. "I... Sorry I'm so slow, I-"

"It's okay," I cut in, trying for a small smile. I licked his muzzle comfortingly and nodded, turning and continuing through the forest.

We raced through the trees as nimbly as we could manage, passing by the stream on our way.

"This is my fault," Thornclaw muttered as he ran beside me. "I-I'm sorry, Nightfall."

"If I hadn't wanted to come with you, I wouldn't have," I replied, and it occurred to me that we were probably both more afraid for the other than we were for ourselves.

Soon, we began to slow our pace; the camp was near. I paused, pricking my ears as I cautiously began to step forward, slipping through the narrow bramble entrance leading to the top of the hollow.

It looked the same as when we'd left- quiet and peaceful. Maybe we'd be alright, after all.

I took a cautious step forward and glanced around, seeing that Mourn was gone. Maybe he'd finally gone to sleep? I nodded to Thornclaw and we slowly made our way down the rocky slope, careful not to make a noise. Looking around, I smiled a bit to myself, feeling relieved as we crossed the clearing towards Leafpool's den. When we got to the entrance, I signaled with my tail for him to go in first. He smiled slightly and stumbled into the burrow.

Before I followed, I glanced around one last time, and stopped, my eyes growing wide. Standing at the top of the Highledge, staring straight at me, was Dire. I didn't dare make a move; I waited to see what he would do. But he just stood there, gazing at me, amber eyes gleaming in the night. I swallowed and stiffly turned around, following Thornclaw into the den.

As I settled down next to the tom, he tilted his head slightly, sensing my tension.

"Nightfall...? Is something wrong?" I blinked and looked at him, smiling lamely.

"No," I whispered. "Everything's perfect." He grinned a bit and nuzzled me before curling up into a ball. I did the same, trying to remain calm. But my heart was pounding, and whenever I closed my eyes, I could only see Dire.

**Not a very eventful chapter, I know. But it's important to the plot at this point and is leading up to something much bigger. Not my best-written in my opinion, either, but ehh. Think of it what you will.**

**Oh, plushies! I forgot all about them. I also forget which ones I've already given out. Uhhh...hh? Uh. Reviewers will get a sick Whitepaw plushie. She has a little thermometer sticking out of her mouth and one of those little heating things people apparently put on their heads. Also she's holding a box of tissues. (:**

**Till next time,**

**Pearly**


	26. Chapter 26: A Friendly Conversation

**Oh, well, yeah, I guess it's been a few weeks since I last updated, huh? This time I have a legit excuse: I was busy with school and final projects and whatnot, but, oh hey, it's summer now! I'm going away next week, but I wanted to at least put up one more chapter before I left. Maybe I'll even have another up by the end of next week. :) (Don't count on it, though.)**

**Recap: Nightfall has a dream about Ross and Brackenfur, waking up in a panic. Thornclaw's worried, but she assures him that she's fine. Thornclaw suggests that they go and take a night walk, to which she finally agrees. They slip out of camp and explain their feelings for each other. Thornclaw takes Nightfall to a secret beach, where she suggests that they run away together, once he's all healed. They're interrupted by a nearby noise, and they hide, seeing Dire walk by, alone. They are unsure if he'd seen him, but they go back to camp. They go back into the medicine den, but before Nightfall does, she sees Dire staring down at her from the Highledge, and she worries about what he'd seen.**

**Thanks to everyone who's been reading and reviewing. I love you all. So much. (:**

Chapter 26

_A Friendly Conversation_

"You need to eat," I said, pushing the rabbit forward with my paw. Tawnypelt lay on her side, her back facing me. She didn't do or say anything. "It's alright," I persisted, leaning down and taking a small bite of the prey. I chewed and swallowed it; "See?"

She flicked her tail in response.

I sighed, getting to my feet and exiting the elders' den.

It was raining. Not too hard, but a decent amount, and enough that wouldn't make a cat want to be outdoors for too long. I'm sure that the plants were happy, though.

Three days had passed since I'd snuck out of camp with Thornclaw, and two days since Dire had gazed at me from the Highledge. I guess I didn't know for sure if he'd really seen me and Thornclaw when we were out on the beach. He hadn't said anything about it, after all. Of course, Dire wouldn't be so upfront about something like that. He would carefully take what he'd seen and device some sort of scheme. Because that was the kind of cat he was.

Not only that, but I'd felt lately- as in, the past three days- that I was being treated... differently. Not just by him, but by everyone. It could have just been my paranoia, but I could have sworn that I was being talked about. All the time. And not about anything good. Plus, the looks I was being given... I don't know. I couldn't tell what they were. But sometimes I'd go over to a cat and they'd have this weird look in their eyes.

Like they didn't trust me, or something.

I shook my head, sending a few raindrops to splatter on the ground. Dire had sent out a few more patrols to further investigate Scarlet's murder, but they always came back empty-pawed, claiming that they still found no traces of outsiders. It made me wonder just what had ever happened to WindClan. I had gone to the moors the day before on a hunting party, and I got to see what their camp had been. Sure enough, it was completely deserted.

I looked around, seeing a few she-cats talking. I smiled slightly, and they smiled unsurely back before turning their backs to me and talking in hushed voices. I swallowed, pricking my ears when I saw Sapphire digging through the freshkill pile. I walked over to her, watching for a moment as she picked the fattest mouse of all.

"You know you should really save the fattest ones for the mothers and elderly, right?" Sapphire nearly jumped into the air in surprise, turning to me with wide eyes and looking as if she'd just been caught committing some horrible crime.

"I'm sorry! I-"

I laughed lightly and batted her against the ear. "I'm kidding. Go ahead, take it." I grinned and winked at her. "I won't tell."

"Share it with me," she said, smiling. "Let's get inside and we can talk over lunch." I grinned a bit.

"I'd like that. I had something I wanted to ask you about, anyway."

We went around, trying to find an empty den, and settled with the former apprentices' den. Slipping through the leafy entrance, I looked around; the nests were a mess, and I could no longer pick up the scents of the old apprentices that used to live here.

We sat down and she took a bite of the mouse before passing it to me.

"So, whuh did you wa'a talk tuh me 'bout?" she asked, her mouth so full of food it took me a few seconds to realize what she'd said.

"Ah... that," I said, staring at the mouse at my paws. I looked up at her, my head tilted slightly. "I was just, uh. Wondering if anyone's been... mad at me lately?" I blinked.

She swallowed. "What do you mean?"

"Oh," I meowed. "Just that, it seems like cats have been trying to avoid me lately. Or something. I don't know. I've just been getting this weird... vibe." Sapphire stared at me before saying, "I don't know, I haven't noticed. But why would anyone be mad at you?" She prodded at the mouse, reminding me that I should take a bite, which I did. "Don't worry about it. You're probably just being self-conscious."

I shrugged, but then nodded, trying to forget about it. Maybe she was right.

"I've noticed that Mourn and Badger have been spending a lot of time together, lately," Sapphire meowed, changing the subject. "They seem really happy."

"Yeah," I said, smiling slightly. "I don't really see him much anymore, though. I've barely even talked to him within the past few days."

"I wish _I_ had someone," my friend said absently, sighing a bit as she tilted her head. "Like your brother does. I'm kinda jealous." I purred a little, batting her gently on the ear.

"There are plenty of fish in the sea."

"Yeah, well, I can't seem to catch any of them," she replied, and I laughed. She glared at me, but then joined in; we giggled for a few seconds before we both stopped, silent. I pricked my ears, hearing the rain outside.

"Speaking of Mourn," I said, "is he in camp?"

"I think," Sapphire replied, taking another bite of the mouse. "He's probably with Badger, though."

"I'm gonna go see if I can find him," I mewed, getting to my paws. "I kind of want to spend a little time with him, if he's not preoccupied."

"Which is very unlikely," said Sapphire, very matter-of-factly. She grinned, and I rolled my eyes.

"You can have the rest of that mouse."

"You sure? You didn't eat very much."

"I'm not that hungry. Help yourself."

Sapphire smiled thankfully and started to rapidly tear into the prey, stuffing her face. I snorted in amusement and waved my tail, exiting the den.

The rain was continuing at a steady pace, and the cool air made me shiver a bit. I glanced around; no one was sitting out in the camp, which was understandable. I pricked my ears, spotting my brother going through the freshkill pile. He was alone. I smiled a little and trotted over to him, noticing that there were only a couple pieces of prey left.

"Hey, Mourn."

He jumped a bit and turned to look at me. "Oh. Hi, Nightfall." I blinked; he didn't have that usual spunk in his voice. Maybe he was just tired.

"Where's Badger?"

"She's on a patrol with Ross and Ember. Why?"

I shrugged. "Just wondering. Do you want to go hunting, or something? I feel like I haven't spent a lot of time with you, lately. And we're running low on food, anyway." The white cat tilted his head a bit.

"Yeah, sure."

I narrowed my eyes slightly. Was something wrong? _Maybe something happened with Badger. Well, we can talk about it while we hunt._

I smiled slightly; "Great. Let's go."

We walked through the woods for a bit, the trees providing a canopy from the rain. I heard birds chirping in the distance, and there was a thin fog lying at the forest floor. I noticed that more flowers were blooming, decorating the earth with bright whites and purples and blues. Raindrops collected on their petals and leaves, like little pearls. I'd never really appreciated how pretty the forest was in the rain.

I noticed Mourn glancing over at me every now and then, not talking much.

"So," I began, hearing rushing water as we grew close to the river. "How're things with Badger?"

"Fine," he replied evenly. "Pretty great, actually."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. That's good."

A moment passed.

"So why are you acting like this?"

"Like what?" he replied, not bothering to look at me. He stopped for a moment, sniffing the air for signs of prey.

"Like that," I said. "You're usually so upbeat. What's wrong?" It was then that I realized that, no, this wasn't about Badger. Maybe it was about me. Everyone had been acting strangely around me lately- it wasn't just my imagination, I could see that now. Even my own brother wasn't himself.

"Mourn, talk to me," I said, growing uneasy. "Will you at least look at me?"

"Wait," he murmured, getting into a crouch. "There's a mouse nearby."

"I don't care!" I said, stepping in front of him. He blinked and sat up, his whiskers twitching.

"I thought you wanted to hunt. Like you said, there isn't much food back at camp. Stay out of my way for a second-"

"What's _wrong_ with you?" I exclaimed, maybe a bit louder than I'd intended. He looked at me, a bit surprised; I guess I'd gotten his attention. "Why are you acting like this?"

"I don't know what you're-"

"Yeah, right," I scoffed. "Everyone in the band has been treating me differently and I don't know why. Even you are, my own brother. And it's making me scared because you've always been there for me. Please, just tell me what's going on, because I know I'm not imagining things."

Mourn blinked a few times and let out a quick breath of air, glancing awkwardly away. "I-I... I'm not sure if I can say-"

"Please, Mourn," I mumbled. I nudged him with my paw, and he looked up at me; I saw emotion in his eyes, and it made me nervous. I knew this wouldn't be good news.

"I-It's nothing, really," he said quietly, looking down. "It's just a rumor, is all."

"What rumor?" I demanded, but I already had a good idea of what it was. I thought about Thornclaw- maybe Dire had seen us, after all.

I waited, but he said nothing. I flicked my tail and snorted, turning away. "Whatever. You're obviously not going to tell me, and I won't force you." I began to walk off in a different direction, only stopping when I heard him call, "Wait! Where are you going?"

"I'm going hunting by myself," I said evenly, not looking back, and I began to pick up my pace. "See you later, Mourn."

I was probably being silly, considering what I _thought_ everyone was treating me differently for. I thought back to when I was a kit, when I'd get frustrated with my brother or friends over this kind of thing. Like if Sapphire wouldn't tell me a secret, I'd feel all left out, get all flustered, and storm off until my mother made me apologize. But, whatever. This was different. Because it wasn't Sapphire, it was the whole Clan.

...Did I just say "Clan"?

I kept trotting deeper into the forest, trying to forget about it, and letting the sounds of the rain invade my mind. It was growing harder, and I tried to stay under the thickest trees to protect myself. I tried to focus on the hunt, and I stopped every now and then to scent the air.

I froze, smelling a mouse nearby. I narrowed my eyes and got down into a hunter's crouch, glancing around carefully. Hearing a rustle in the ferns, I crept forward, ready to pounce, and just as I began my jump, I caught one of my back paws in a root and tripped, meowing in surprise as I tumbled a few feet down the shallow slope.

I winced, covering myself in mud as I landed on the could ground. Cursing silently, I lay there for a moment, trying to catch my breath. I was getting soaked, and I shivered a bit.

_"...Go back to camp..."_

I pricked my ears, lifting my head up in surprise. I froze, looking around. Was I hearing things? ...Or going crazy? I warily heaved myself to my paws, feeling my whiskers drip with rainwater as I looked around.

No one was there.

After I had convinced myself that it had just been the wind, it came again. This time, from behind me.

"..._In the medicine den..."_

I whirled around, my fur fluffing up as I grew anxious. I took a tiny step forward, and then stopped; a few moments had passed before I realized how eerily familiar that voice was. I tried to jog my memory for the answer, and my eyes widened, recognizing the voice of a certain ginger tom who'd once been the ruler of ThunderClan.

"Firestar!" I gasped, searching the area, my ears pricked. I waited a few moments, but there came no answer. "...Firestar?"

...Still no answer.

I flattened my ears, wondering why he wasn't showing himself to me. I blinked, remembering the words I'd heard, and I lifted my head. I had to get to the medicine den. I swallowed, almost a bit frightened of what might be waiting for me there. I felt like it couldn't be too good. After a moment lost in thoughts, I shook my pelt and began to trot back to camp.

I didn't see anyone on the way back. Which was probably good, since I technically wasn't supposed to be out of camp by myself. Dire was still wary about WindClan, believing that they could come back. At this point, it was unlikely, and even if they _did_ come back, we still outnumbered them by nearly twice as much. But anything could happen, I guess.

I found my way back to the top of the hollow, shaking my pelt again as the rain fell at a steady pace. Taking one look around, I slipped in through the tunnel's opening, scampering down the slippery rocks and nearly falling several times. I saw that a hunting party had recently returned, and that the freshkill pile was freshly stocked. A few cats were rummaging through it for lunch, and I saw that Sapphire was now talking to Tin beneath Highledge. Everything seemed normal.

I looked over at the medicine den, blinking. It seemed like an ordinary day, and I couldn't hear any cries of pain or anything like that coming from the den. I bit my lip, trying to calmly walk across the camp. For some reason, I felt like cats were staring at me, but when I looked around, no one was. I flicked my tail.

Coming upon the medicine den, I stopped, listening. It was silent in there. I shook the raindrops from my whiskers and went inside.

I blinked curiously, looking around. I saw that Leafpool and Thornclaw were gone. Maybe they were out getting food? I looked over at Cloudtail, wrapped around his daughter, both fast asleep. I frowned, watching them quietly. Whitepaw would shiver every now and then, letting out weak coughs but never opening her eyes. I turned away, flicking my tail.

And I waited.

...Nothing. Why was I here? Had that really been Firestar's voice that led me to this place, or was I just going crazy? I smiled slightly, trying to think of how many times I'd asked myself that question in the past week or two. I yawned, turning back around, and when I did, my eyes widened at what they saw.

"Whitepaw!" I exclaimed. Her green eyes were opened wide, staring at me, her mouth slightly opened in a blank expression that scared me. Her breathing began to speed up rapidly, and I stumbled backwards, glancing around quickly and suddenly feeling panicked. What was going on? _What do I do?_

"Where's Leafpool?" I breathed, turning to run out the den to look for her, but before I could, I heard the small voice squeak, "Stop."

I turned back to the apprentice, who was swallowing, trying to keep quiet. Her father was unstirred by her awakening and remained still in a deep slumber.

"D-Don't get Leafpool," she told me in a raspy whisper. "Not yet." I stared at her. What was going on?

"B-But-"

"I need to tell you something," she breathed, wincing a bit from the effort it took to speak.

"Whitepaw, don't-"

"StarClan came to me," she murmured. "I saw... Firestar... Brackenfur... Brightheart." I looked at her, feeling a pang of sorrow when she squeaked her mother's name. Her death felt like it had been so long ago. I wanted to tell her to stop talking, and I wanted to go get Leafpool and wake up Cloudtail. But for some reason, I knew I had to listen to her.

"Duskfeather," she murmured, her eyes beginning to close. "...They came to me... because they wanted me to tell you something." I felt my heart nearly stop. What did they possibly want to tell me? But I didn't dare say a word. I just nodded slightly, urging her to continue.

"...You need to go to the Moonpool," she said, her voice barely audible anymore. "You need to go to hear the truth." I couldn't say anything. I just stared at her. What was the Moonpool? And what was so important that I needed to go there to hear about?

I opened my mouth to speak, but it was too late. She had already slipped into another state of unconsciousness, leaving me standing there, alone, without any idea of what I was supposed to do.

**...Yeah, I don't really like this chapter, either. halksdjfh Oh, well, it's important. Tell me what you think.**

**Plushie time! Reviewers get a set of three- Brightheart, Cloudtail, and Whitepaw, all together and happy and cute n' lovey n' stuff. Also they have matching pink bows on their tails. Yes, even Cloudtail.**

**Till next time!**

**Pearly**


	27. Chapter 27: Thinking

**Italy is amazing. Please, everyone, make sure you go at least once in your life. You'll probably gain weight, but it's all good.**

**Recap: Nightfall tries to talk to Tawnypelt, to no avail. She leaves, and thinks about when she'd snuck out of camp with Thornclaw, wondering if Dire had seen. She thinks about the fact that lately, cats have been looking at her differently, as if they've all been talking about her, but Sapphire says she hasn't noticed. Nightfall goes hunting with Mourn, but he seems different, and not like his usual spunky self. She asks him what's going on, and he admits there's a rumor going on about her, but he doesn't tell her what it is. Aggravated, she leaves, and when she's alone in the forest, she hears a voice, telling her to go back to camp- Firestar's voice. She goes to camp and enters the medicine den, where Whitepaw wakes up, telling her that Nightfall has to go to the Moonpool to learn the truth.**

**Time fo' chapter 27. Thank you everyone for reading. (: somuchlove**

Chapter 27

_Thinking_

"Are you _sure_ she was awake?" Leafpool asked, quickly going through herbs. She had gone out to collect more, under the watchful eyes of Maxwell and Ember. Cloudtail stood beside her, now awake as he worriedly looked down at his daughter.

"Yes," I said, my tail flicking. "She woke up. It was only for a few seconds, but she did, I swear."

Leafpool looked at me. "Did she say anything?"

"...Yes."

"What did she say?"

I looked at her, and at Cloudtail, who was looking at me expectantly. "She... just asked me where she was."

"And then she fell unconscious again?"

"Yes."

"Cloudtail," she said. "Take this moss and go soak it with rainwater. We need to keep her hydrated." The tom nodded, immediately taking the moss and limping outside. The medicine cat looked back at me.

"So, let me get this straight. You came in here, and Cloudtail and Whitepaw were both asleep. Then, Whitepaw woke up, asked where she was, and blacked out again. Is that correct?"

"Y... Yes."

"What else?"

I looked at her; she was staring right at me, expressionless.

"What do you-"

"I know you're lying, Duskfeather," she said to me, calmly, yet somewhat coldly. "What really happened in here?" I blinked a few times and swallowed.

"That's all that happened," I murmured. There was an uncomfortable silence for a few moments. And then, without even thinking, I asked, "What's the Moonpool?"

Leafpool stared at me, somewhat surprised. "Where did you hear about that?"

"...Whitepaw told me," I muttered quietly. I didn't see any point of hiding it anymore.

"What did she tell you about it?" the medicine cat demanded, becoming a bit agitated. "What did she say?"

"Please, Leafpool," I sighed. "Just tell me what it is." She looked at me for a few moments, her whiskers twitching.

"I see no reason to tell you about it. It's none of your concern."

"Yes, it is." I lashed my tail. "You know what? I'm the reason that you're even alive. If I hadn't said anything, Dire would have killed you, along with Thornclaw, Whitepaw, and Cloudtail. The least you could do is to tell me just this one thing."

"I was kept alive because I'm a medicine cat, and your leader thought I'd be useful in serving _your_ cats," Leafpool retorted, her lips pulling back slightly. I felt a pang of irritation, but I didn't want to fight or argue with her. I sighed, sitting down.

"Please, Leafpool."

She sat down, too, wrapping her tail around her paws. With a twitch of her whiskers, she finally said, "Fine. I'll tell you." She paused, shifting her weight. "The Moonpool is a place where the medicine cats from all four Clans meet every halfmoon. It's where they can communicate with StarClan. Or, it was." I blinked slowly.

"Where is it?"

"I'll tell you," she said, "if you tell me what Whitepaw said to you about it."

I sighed. "Fine. She told me that StarClan had come to her with a message for me. That I needed to go to the Moonpool to learn the truth."

"What?" she said quietly. "What could StarClan possibly want with _you?"_ She got to her paws, continuing to leaf through some of her herbs. "And what 'truth' was she talking about?"

"I don't know."

She nodded slowly, before turning to me. "Are you going to go?"

"Y... Yeah. I am."

"Alright," she said. "If StarClan wishes to speak to you, I'll tell you how to get there." She closed her eyes; "Leave the camp and go north, heading towards WindClan territory. You'll reach the moors, and continue on from there, staying near the edge of the forest. There will be a stream; follow that, because the Moonpool is fed by a small waterfall. The water itself is surrounded by rocky walls, and a stone path will lead you to the pool." She opened her eyes, waiting for a reply.

"Wow," I murmured. "How did anyone ever find that place?"

Leafpool smiled slightly- the first time I'd seen her smile in a while. "You're looking at the one that did."

I stared at her, not quite sure how to respond, when I heard pawsteps behind me. I turned, seeing Cloudtail walk in with soaked moss in his jaws, followed by Thornclaw. I pricked my ears, walking over to him.

"Where have you been?" I asked quietly. He looked at me, a bit surprised.

"I was getting lunch. Cloudtail told me about what happened with Whitepaw. I wanted to see if she was okay."

"I think she's fine," I murmured. "She just woke up and fell unconscious again a few seconds later."

"Thank you," said Leafpool, taking the moss from Cloudtail and carefully dripping it into Whitepaw's mouth. I watched silently before I looked over at Thornclaw.

I contemplated telling him about what Whitepaw had told me, but decided to keep quiet for now. He probably would have told me not to go, that it was dangerous, or try to come with me- which wouldn't help either of us. I glanced outside. The rain wasn't slowing down.

"What does this mean?" Cloudtail asked, his tail twitching with worry. "Is she getting better?"

"I don't know," replied Leafpool quietly. "In all honesty, I hadn't expected her to wake up. This could be a sign from StarClan that we shouldn't give up hope." The white tom nodded a bit, leaning down to lick his daughter's forehead. I looked at him, the pity I had for him almost unbearable. When he stepped back, I lay my head against his shoulder, for a moment. He looked at me, smiling the smallest bit.

.c.l.o.u.d.t.a.i.l.

When I woke up, it was night. I'd drifted off to sleep after dinner with the intention of going out later, when it was dark. Thornclaw was lying beside me, his chin resting on my back. I smiled slightly, gently licking his ear before I carefully got up and slipped away from him, careful not to wake him up.

The raining had slowed down considerably, and was reduced to a light drizzle. I looked around the medicine den; everyone was asleep, and I wondered how late it was. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes for a moment as thoughts swirled in my mind. Leave the camp and go north. Upon reaching the moors, follow the stream, staying close to the forest. Hidden among the hills is the Moonpool, surrounded by stone walls. It sounded easy enough, though I'd never been the best with directions. Letting out a short sigh, I stepped outside.

The camp was nearly empty; I looked up, seeing the moon poke through the clouds every now and then. It must have been an hour or two past midnight.

A breeze ruffled my fur, and I slowly looked around before heading towards the entrance. I stopped and glanced at the top of the hollow, blinking in surprise when I saw that there was no guard. I raised an eyebrow and cautiously made my way up the rocks, trying to keep my grip on the slippery incline. When I reached the top, I took a deep breath and silently slunk through the bramble entrance.

"Head north, towards WindClan," I murmured to myself, remembering what Leafpool had said. "WindClan... WindClan..." Though I had a decent sense of the territory by now, it was a bit harder to navigate through the darkness and the rain.

I began to walk through the forest, my mind clouding with thoughts. Why did StarClan need to speak to me? What truth would I see? Would I see Brackenfur...? My body was tense the whole way, because honestly, I was nervous. I mean, who would really want to face the cat they had killed?

I kept going, and I could tell that the trees were beginning to thin out as I got closer to the moors. And then...

The snap of a branch.

I froze, my fur fluffing up as I glanced around warily. I slowly turned around, and then, again- another snap. I stared ahead of me, hearing the bushes rustle, the sound getting closer. I took a step back, cautiously flexing my claws, when suddenly, a dark shape appeared. I squinted my eyes, trying to tell who it was... and my blood turned to ice.

Ross.

He stared at me, his amber eyes wide in slight confusion, which was rarely apparent in him. I looked at him, too, blinking slowly. The two of us said nothing for what seemed like days. And when I looked at him, I felt this sort of... pang. I don't know, I can't even explain it. But there was something there, regardless of what it was.

"Ross," I murmured. "What are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he replied evenly- but his voice was calm and almost... soothing. He took a few steps forward, continuing to gaze at me, his expression hard to read. Just as it always was.

"I asked first," I said quietly.

He flicked his tail. "I was on guard duty and decided to take a quick walk."

"You're awfully far away from camp for a 'quick walk,'" I answered.

He looked away, and murmured, "Yeah." I said nothing.

Then, out of what seemed like nowhere, he said, "Do you want to sit with me, for a minute?"

I stared at him, a bit shocked, but I kept my composure.

"The last time we spoke, you called me a murderer before walking away. And now you want to 'sit with me for a minute'?"

He looked at me, opening his mouth to speak before closing it. Then, he said, "Sit with me."

My whiskers twitched, but I quietly sat down beside him, in the middle of the woods and surrounded by ferns. For an instance, that scene by the lake flashed in my mind.

I looked over at him. "What do you want?" I asked quietly. "I was sort of under the impression that you wanted nothing to do with me-"

"I'm sorry," he said. He turned to look at me, and for the first time in- I don't know how long- I could see pure emotion in that amber gaze of his. I could see sorrow, and regret, and apology, and... He didn't even look like Ross. He looked like someone else.

"What are you sorry for?"

"For accusing you of Scarlet's murder. It was a mistake-"

"You're saying that as if you know who did it," I said.

He made no response.

My eyes widened slightly, and I shifted my weight, leaning closer to him.

"_Do_ you...?"

"Nightfall-"

"Ross, who killed her?"

"There's a rumor going around, Nightfall. About _you._ They're saying that _you're_ the one who killed her."

I stared at him, my mouth open slightly as my head began to real. So _that_ was the rumor that was going around. Not that me and Thornclaw had feelings for each other. I felt dizzy. I didn't think that it could happen, but this was much worse.

"Did you-"

"I didn't start it, Nightfall," he murmured. I looked at him, not sure if I believed him. He was the one that had first accused me of it. But when he looked into my eyes, it was hard _not_ to believe him. "I swear." He tilted his head slightly, looking away. "Dire did."

"Why?" I whispered. "You _know_ I didn't kill her. Why can't you tell Dire?"

"...I've _tried,"_ he muttered, avoiding my gaze. "He won't listen. I... think he's just scared, because he feels that our band is in danger. And because you're the most likely from our band, he's determined to make you look guilty."

"What do you mean, most likely from-"

"You know what I mean," he replied stiffly, looking at me. "It's not that hard to figure out."

I blinked softly, making no reply. I let out a long sigh, clenching my eyes shut and feeling trapped. My whole band was slowly turning against me. But Ross's newfound, and somewhat unexpected, trust in me gave me a little hope.

"Ross," I said quietly, opening my eyes. "Thanks for believing me."

He flicked his tail, making no reply. He was staring straight out in front of him, looking as if he wanted to speak, but was hesitant.

Suddenly, he murmured quietly, "Is it true that you're going to run away with Thornclaw?"

My eyes widened, and I leaped to my feet, my heart pounding in surprise.

"Wh-where did you-"

"Dire overheard you say it," he said, avoiding eye contact. "He was out patrolling the area himself and heard you two talking." He shifted his weight as I stared at him, shocked. "...Is it true?"

"Oh, StarClan," I breathed. "So he _did_ see us out there together." I lashed my tail nervously. "I wasn't sure, but he did. Great. Great!"

"Nightfall-"

"I knew that it was a bad idea," I murmured. "It won't be long before _that_ spreads through camp, either-"

"Nightfall, calm down," Ross murmured, getting to his paws and walking over to me. "No one knows."

I let out a shaky breath, sitting down. Maybe he was right. Maybe I just needed to calm down. Maybe, just maybe, Dire wouldn't mention it again.

No. That was impossible. If he was this keen on making me look guilty for Scarlet's death, then he wasn't going to let what he'd seen go.

"...You never answered my question," said Dire evenly. I sighed, looking over at him.

"What question?"

"Are you running away with Thornclaw?" I peered at him curiously, and swallowed.

"Why are you so interested, all of a sudden?"

He opened his mouth slightly, as if planning to reply, but then closed it. He sat back down, curling his tail around his paws. I blinked slowly, sitting down next to him.

"Why do you care so much about me and Thornclaw?" There was one answer in particular that I was, somewhere in my mind, sort of hoping for. I doubted that he would say it, though. At least, not bluntly. My whiskers twitched. He probably wouldn't say it at all. Though the fact that I was kind of hoping he would nagged at me. Why should it have mattered, how he felt about me? It didn't. I had Thornclaw. Besides, Ross probably didn't feel anything for me, anyway.

So why was I sitting there next to him, my heart pounding just the slightest bit as I waited for his answer?

"...I have to go back to camp," he muttered, getting to his paws. "I'm supposed to be on guard duty."

"Why did you leave?" I murmured.

"I wanted to think."

"About what?"

He looked over at me, somewhat meaningfully, but he didn't say anything. "Bye, Nightfall."

He turned and began to walk off, and I stood there, watching him leave. Suddenly, I began to ran after him.

"Ross!" He turned around, and when I reached him, I buried my face in the fur of his shoulder. He blinked, surprised, but after a moment, he lay his head against mine. We stayed like that for a minute, not talking, before I finally pulled away. He looked at me, a bit curiously, but smiled slightly before he turned and disappeared into the darkness.

I watched him go. I still don't know what exactly had come over me, but during those moments, it was almost as if all of my troubles had completely disappeared. And the moment he left, I was slowly brought back into reality, and Dire and the rumors came back to my mind.

After standing there for a minute or two, I turned, and quietly continued on my way to the Moonpool.

**This chapter is like, only dialogue lololol. I was actually planning for her to actually get to the Moonpool in this chapter, but decided to save it for the next one.**

**Plushies! Uh. I am so out of ideas it's kind of embarrassing uhh. Reviewers get another Ross plushie, but this time, he's a little kit with a little angry face and blush, and he's dressed up like a baseball player. There's no reasoning behind that at all**

**Till next time!**

**Pearlz**


	28. Chapter 28: Answers

**I've actually been doing decently in terms of updating. Just stick with me a little more, we're kinda almost done!**

**Recap: Nightfall talks to Leafpool about Whitepaw, admitting that she'd told her to go to the Moonpool. Leafpool finally tells her how to get there. Later that night, Nightfall sneaks out of camp to go there, but on the way, she runs into Ross. They sit together, and he suddenly apologizes for accusing Nightfall of killing Scarlet. She wonders if he knows who really did it, but he doesn't say anything. They talk for a while, about Dire and the band, and he asks her if she's really going to run away with Thornclaw, confirming her suspicion that Dire had seen them out together. She asks him why he cares so much, but he doesn't give her a straight answer. Before he leaves, she runs over to him, pressing her face against his fur, and he leans his head against her back. Then, they both leave in opposite directions.**

**Thank you to everyone who's been reviewing :)**

Chapter 28

_Answers_

I was soon walking through the grass of the old WindClan territory, following the gentle stream that ran from the hills. It was almost completely silent as I padded alone through the darkness. The drizzle had reduced almost to a cooling mist, though the tall grass was still speckled with raindrops that stuck to my fur. The moon was poking through the clouds, providing a dim light to the open air. In the distance, I could see the silhouettes of two rabbits darting through the field together, hopping happily about. I watched them for a moment before they disappeared.

For some reason, as I walked, my mother came to my mind. Memories flashed before me, and I suddenly remembered her promise. The promise that she would take me to these very plains when I was older.

I stopped in my tracks, this place now holding a new meaning. I slowly looked around, taking everything in. _Will there be butterflies, Mama?_ My little voice rang through my head- the question I'd asked her as a kit. There were none, though, as I sat down in the wet grass, the sound of the small stream trickling by.

I still couldn't remember her last words, though. And when I'd asked Mourn, all those days ago, when our band was heading out early in the morning to fight ShadowClan, he couldn't remember, either. It frustrated me, that I couldn't remember, because I had been at her side when she'd died. And yes, I'd been young, but I could remember almost everything else she'd ever said to me.

I sighed, getting back up. _I should get going_, I thought. I didn't know just how long it would take me to find the place, and I wanted to get back to camp before anyone woke up and noticed I was gone.

Ross knew, though. It occurred to me, however, that I had never told him _where_ I was going. Or why. He'd asked, but I'd changed the subject, and he hadn't brought it back up. I wondered if he was back on guard duty again. I wondered what he was thinking about. I wondered _who_ he was thinking about. I shook my head quickly. I was being stupid. Of course he wasn't just sitting there, thinking about me. But then, why had he smiled at me? Why had he been so worried about me? About me and Thornclaw? Thornclaw. I swallowed as I thought about him. No, of course I still liked him. He was funny, sensitive, caring. But whenever I was with Ross, I'd... I'd get this certain feeling deep in my gut that wouldn't go away until long after he was gone. At first I was convinced that it was annoyance, or something. Because he'd become so distant and practically only spoke with Dire anymore. But as I stood in the field, listening to the owls in the forest hoot, I wasn't sure anymore.

I hissed at myself, telling me to stop getting caught up in daydreams and to keep going.

I continued to follow the stream, and soon enough, the ground formed an incline as I stood at the edge of the hills. The Moonpool should be just over the first one. I lashed my tail, trying not to feel as nervous as I was. I tried to think of something happy. Happy, happy... Fat mice to eat? Happy rabbits? I swallowed as I began to climb the hill, the wind blowing by and ruffling my black fur.

When I reached the top, I turned around for a moment, looking over the territory. It was quite the view. I could see the moors span out in front of me, and the lake beyond that. To the right I saw the forests, where my band was sleeping somewhere. I let out a deep sigh, smiling slightly to myself and wishing that my mother could be here to see this with me.

Turning, I continued down the hill, my eyes searching through the darkness for the pool.

"Surrounded by stones," I murmured to myself, and suddenly, I felt stone beneath my paws. It must have been at the bottom of the hollow. I continued on, soon hearing the trickling of a small waterfall, and in a few moments, I saw the pool. It was small, and hidden among rocks that spiraled down in a path to the edge of the water. Water flowed into it from the opposite side of the hollow. I walked towards it, beginning around the path that would take me there.

I lifted my foot in surprise, narrowing my eyes to see that in the stone, pawprints were imprinted. I blinked, placing my own paw against one of them, and saw that they led all the way down to the Moonpool. Were these from when the Clans used it? No, it had to have been longer ago than that. I blinked softly, wondering if my very own Clan had once used this pool. But why?

I continued down and stopped when I reached the edge of the water. It seemed to sparkle, slightly, and the reflection of the moon lay at its center. I sat down, blinking. What now? I looked around, waiting for StarClan to appear, or to make some sort of sign.

After a few minutes of waiting, nothing had happened. I flicked an ear in irritation.

"Am I missing a step, or something?" I muttered, getting to my paws. I looked at the water, and an idea came to me. Maybe I was supposed to go _in_ it. Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the pool, and a shiver immediately went down my spine as I was greeted by the icy cold. Taking a few more steps in, I went in to my knees, my tail sticking straight up as I tried to endure the cold.

But still, nothing was happening. I growled and got out of the water, shaking my paws dry. I sat down, thinking. Maybe I was supposed to _drink_ the water...? It was worth a try.

Leaning over, I lapped up a few drops of water, which tasted curiously different than most water. It tasted... better. And fresher. And colder.

Licking my lips, I looked around. After a few moments, I yawned, suddenly feeling drowsy. I quickly blinked my eyes open, not wanting to fall asleep incase StarClan wanted to talk to me at the pool.

But I couldn't help it. My eyelids were getting heavy, and my limbs weak. I finally settled down on the rocks, curling up. I closed my eyes, immediately falling asleep.

When I opened them, I was a bit confused. I was standing in a clearing in a forest, everything light and green. The trees seemed to be glowing, and the sky was a bright white. Beautiful flowers of every color completely covered the ground, and I could hear signs of prey rustling in the bushes and ferns all around me. It was amazing. But just where was I?

"Hello, Nightfall."

I whirled around at the voice, and before me was the majestic figure of Firestar. He looked more magnificent than ever; he stood tall, a slight glow around his body as his orange fur sparkled with light. His green eyes were bright as they looked at me, a gentle smile on his face.

"Firestar," I breathed, shaking my head slowly. "Where am I? Why did you want me here? What about Whitepaw? Is she-"

"Calm down," he said, taking a few steps forward before sitting down and wrapping his tail around his paws. "I know you're confused. But I'll explain everything to you." I nodded a little, slightly shaky. But I uncomfortably sat down across from him.

"Why was I brought here?" I murmured. "Why did I have to come _here?"_

The ginger tom's green eyes glowed with some mysterious, all-knowing shine. Whiskers twitching, he said, "We don't always have enough power to show ourselves to you, even in regular dreams. This place is overflowing with spiritual power. You needed to come here to show what we wanted to show you."

"Sh... Show me what?" I said slowly. "Is this the 'truth' you were talking about...?" Firestar nodded his head.

"That will come a bit later." I flicked my tail impatiently, but let it go.

"Firestar, why did you use Whitepaw to deliver the message? Why did it have to be _her?"_

The former leader smiled very slightly, dipping his head forward.

"Whitepaw has... a special connection to StarClan."

"What do you mean?" I said, puzzled. "In what way?"

"The spirit in her is strong," he murmured, closing his eyes and lifting his head to the colorless sky. "Even stronger than that of Leafpool's." I stared at him, and he continued on when he saw my confusion. "Leafpool's faith in us has been dying," he murmured, a sad glow in his eyes as he looked down at the ground. "Since the Clans have been destroyed." I swallowed and avoided his gaze.

"...Will Whitepaw get better?" I asked softly, staring at a particular red flower. I lifted my head to face him, my ear flicking.

Firestar sighed, smiling slightly, and sadly, before saying, "I don't know."

"How could you not know?" I challenged, standing up. "You're part of StarClan. Don't they know these things?"

"It doesn't work that way," he murmured. "We don't simply decide whether a cat will live or die. In fact, it's almost entirely the strength of their spirits that save them. Or let them die."

"So, if Whitepaw's spirit is so strong, then she _has_ to live. Right?"

"I hope so, Nightfall," he sighed. "Time will tell."

I nodded, looking away.

"...Firestar. Why don't you hate me?" I murmured. "Why do you believe in me so much?"

He didn't reply for a moment, but he smiled softly. A few seconds passed before saying, "Why do you believe in StarClan so much?"

I blinked and looked at him, making no response.

"Firestar?" a voice suddenly called. I pricked my ears, looking around the clearing. That voice, it was... so familiar. "Can I come in...?"

Firestar smiled. "Yes, Brightheart. You can come in." My eyes widened as, from the huge ferns, she appeared. She stood tall, looking more spectacular than ever, even with only one shining, blue eye. As she walked, tiny little white flowers bloomed with each pawstep she took, and I watched in awe as she padded over to stand beside Firestar. She smiled at me, starlight in her eye and fur.

"Hi, Duskfeather."

"Brightheart," I breathed, a smile growing on my face. "It's so good to see you..."

She grinned and trotted over, licking my ear in greeting. I looked at her, wondering why she seemed so happy about seeing me.

"Duskfeather," she said, taking a few steps back and sitting beside her leader. "I want to thank you for protecting Cloudtail and Whitepaw." She smiled softly, tilting her head sadly. "If it weren't for you, they probably wouldn't be alive." I gave a slight, unsure grin and nodded a little.

"I'm sorry," I murmured. "For all of this."

Brightheart studied me, her tail swishing back and forth. She smiled slightly; "I remember sitting up here, watching it all happen. It... was horrible, of course." I flinched at this, but she continued. "The whole time, I was watching my mate and daughter. And you, too. I watched you standing there, surrounded by fighting and death and not knowing what to do. And I know how torn you felt." She shifted her weight. "Duskfeather, I don't forgive your cats for doing what they did to my Clan. I never will. But for some reason, I can forgive _you."_ She tilted her head the other way, laughing a little. "It's strange. But I feel like I can trust you with the lives of my family. I know you'll bring no harm to them."

I nodded stiffly. "Thank you," I mumbled. "I won't. I promise."

Flicking his tail, the ginger tom got to his paws. "We have to go." Brightheart nodded in agreement.

"Wait," I said quietly, taking a step forward, a frown on my face. "Please don't go, yet-"

"I'm sorry," he said. "But someone else would like to speak to you. Alone."

"Tell Cloudtail and Whitepaw that I love them," Brightheart said, a flash of emotion going through her eye for a moment before she smiled and turned, disappearing into the undergrowth. Firestar dipped his head slightly to me, saying nothing before he followed after her.

I stood in the clearing, alone. For a moment I was tempted to chase after them, but I stayed where I was. I looked around, taking in the area's beauty one more time, until I heard the bushes rustle from behind me.

I hesitantly turned around, waiting for them to emerge and going through the list of cats that it could be. Sandstorm? Squirrelflight? Maybe they wanted to ask about Leafpool. Or... What about Rainwhisker? Would he even talk to me, here?

The bushes rustled once more, and then appeared a swift and lean shape from the undergrowth. Lightly colored with golden and brown, the cat stepped forward, amber eyes flashing in the empty light and flecks of starlight falling from his whiskers. His neat and beautiful fur fell regally as he stopped to stand there, tail silently lashing back and forth against his long legs.

I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath before opening them and steadily walking forward. My paws felt a bit heavy, but I swallowed and kept my head up, trying to tell myself to be confident and to relax. _Oh, StarClan._

He sat down, and so did I, a few taillengths across from him. He looked at me, the tiniest of smiles on his face.

"Hello, Duskfeather." I sighed, smiling the smallest bit back.

"Hey, Brackenfur." I looked at my paws, suddenly feeling embarrassed and at a loss for words. I'd been waiting for him to talk to me, but now that he was, I wished he was gone. After a moment, I awkwardly glanced up at him, muttering, "Sorry."

His whiskers twitched; "Why, because you killed me?"

I flinched, but when I looked at him, I didn't sense any accusations or hatred in his voice or expression. They were actually quite hard to read.

"I regret it," I mumbled. "And I hate myself for it. I never want to kill another cat again."

"What about Russetfur?" he asked steadily. I looked up at him.

"That wasn't my fault! She ran into the branch, I didn't have time to-"

"From what it looked like, you were intentionally waiting for her to charge at you so you could move out of the way and she'd hit the branch." I stared at him, but he quickly shook his head. "I'm sorry. I don't want to argue with you."

"Me, neither," I muttered. "Anyway, I'm sorry. I don't want to be on bad terms with you."

He smiled a little. "As long as you protect the survivors of ThunderClan, then I don't, either." I nodded enthusiastically.

"I will."

"I have to go," he said, getting to his paws. "I'll see you again. I promise." I smiled faintly, sort of glad that I had had the opportunity to talk to him.

"Thanks, Brackenfur."

He smiled slightly and nodded to me, turning to leave. Then, a thought came to me. I stepped forward; "Wait. Brackenfur?"

He stopped and turned around expectantly.

I tilted my head slightly before saying, "Uh. When I came to the Moonpool, I found pawprints in the stone. Imprinted in it. As if cats have been using it for centuries." I tilted my head slightly. "Who was it? Your Clans weren't here for very long."

He blinked at me, looking almost confused. "You don't know?" He shook his head a moment later. "No, maybe it's natural that you don't."

"Don't know what?"

He smiled slightly, an aura of knowledge surrounding him.

"Nightfall, do you know where your band comes from?" I peered at him curiously, wondering what he was going on about.

"From the lake."

Brackenfur gently shook his head. "No. Though they eventually _came_ to the lake, they started out elsewhere."

I stared at him. "How do you know about-"

"Do you know how long ago the four Clans were made?" the golden tabby said. I made no reply. "A long time ago. At one point, they weren't even Clans. They were just cats that lived in an unorganized manner, always fighting. Back then, they lived in a forest far away from here." He shifted his weight. "StarClan called upon them, demanding that they put an end to the constant violence. So four Clans were made by Thunder, Wind, River, and Shadow, their leaders."

"ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan, and ShadowClan," I muttered under my breath. He nodded. "But what does this have to do with my band?"

A spark lit up in his eyes, and he grinned a bit. "Not everyone was happy with this new system, because now the amount of territory each cat could roam in was cut into fourths. One cat wanted things to be the way they used to be. And many agreed with him. So he took his followers away. Do you know where they settled?"

"The lake," I whispered, my thoughts beginning to churn.

He nodded. "They still believed in StarClan, of course, and when they found the Moonpool, they used it for many, many years. However... over time, their faith in StarClan began to die. We still don't know why. And then one day, no one even mentioned us again."

I was silent for a long time. Was this true? Could my band really have originated from the four Clans? It was so ironic it hurt. I shook my head slightly, at a loss for words.

"Do you understand now, Nightfall?"

"Y-Yes," I whispered, swallowing. "I do."

"It's a shame," he murmured, "that your cats don't even know who they're fighting." He nodded to me before turning, finally vanishing in the greenery. I now stood in this magical clearing, alone. And I blinked, thinking. So _that_ was how it was.

I sighed, shaking my head again, and looked around to admire the beauty of the place. Chirps and caws were heard, and over my head flew a flock of many different-colored birds, so many that they almost covered the cloudless sky. I watched them in awe until they were gone.

I looked around, suddenly aware that I was growing a bit... dizzy. The scene around me was starting to blur and shift, and I blinked several times, backing up. What was going on?

I clenched my eyes shut and opened them, but it didn't help. My head began to spin, and I was losing my balance. Dizzy, I finally collapsed on the ground, and the forest turned to black.

.b.r.a.c..

When I woke up, I was back in ThunderClan's woods. It was around midday, or maybe an hour or two afterwards. I was looking out in front of me, already sitting up. _What happened?_ I thought with confusion. _How did I get here? Wasn't I all the way at the Moonpool?_ I tried to stand up, but for some strange reason, I couldn't. In fact, I couldn't even feel my legs at all. A moment of panic took hold of me as a cool wind went by, ruffling my fur. What was wrong with me?

Suddenly, I got up. No, that's not right, I... Yes, I stood up. But I didn't _want_ to. I didn't _feel_ it. I was just suddenly on my paws. I began to walk forward, though it had finally occurred to me that I had no control over my own body. I tried to make myself stop, but I wouldn't. I just kept walking, and I didn't know where I was going.

I soon heard the sound of the lake's waves lap against the shore. I let myself brush through the bushes and came out into the open. There was sand beneath my paws, I knew, but I felt none. I stared at the lake, which was sparkling with the light of the sun. I was pulled closer to the water, and I stepped inside, though I didn't feel its soothing cold. My head lowered, and the next second, I was staring at the reflection looking back at me in the cool lake.

I couldn't move. And even if I could, I wouldn't have been able to, anyway. Because staring back at me was not the familiar face of myself I knew. Green eyes looked back at me, not amber. My black fur had been replaced with a bright orange-striped coat, and all over my body I had several scars, some still bleeding, as if I'd been fighting recently.

It was Scarlet. _I_ was Scarlet.

But how? What was going on? It was as if I was in her body, but had no control over it. Was this a dream, or...? No. It felt too real to be a dream.

But Scarlet was dead! My thoughts whirled in my mind; was this before she was killed?

Scarlet turned, forcing me to turn as well. She began walking back into the trees, her tail dragging along the ground, her shoulders sagging, and her muscles tense.

I was staring out ahead of me- or, rather, Scarlet was, and I was just witnessing what she was seeing. She kept walking for a few minutes, in silence- where she was going, I hadn't a clue. Maybe she hadn't, either.

Then, a rustle in the bushes. Scarlet stopped in her tracks, but she didn't turn around. I listened to the sounds coming closer, curious as to what or who it was. But I couldn't see.

Then, suddenly, the scent of another cat came over me. A very familiar scent. Who was it...?

"There you are," came a low voice. I recognized it right away- it was Dire's.

Scarlet turned to face him, and I got a full view of my leader. He stood across from me- from us- tall, his tail up in the air. His glowing eyes were narrowed slightly, hard and cold as they often were. He had a few injuries himself, but they looked as if they'd been treated already.

"What do you want?" replied a voice- it was Scarlet's, and I was surprised by how different it sounded. Usually it was so light and silly and stupid-sounding. But I listened as it cracked with emotion, a hint of anger in it.

"Come back to camp. Now. You're acting foolish. We don't know that this territory is completely safe and secured yet."

_"Foolish?" _Scarlet spat in reply, and I was a bit taken aback by her tone. "My sister- the cat that I cared about the most in this world- just died. Of course I'm not frolicking through fricking _flowers."_

"What's done is done," replied Dire stiffly, a hint of growl in his voice. Already he was growing impatient, and he narrowed his eyes a bit more. "Your sister is not the only one that gave her life this morning. Sacrifices had to be made, for the good of the band. I thought that everyone understood that." He flicked his tail. "Come back to camp before you do something stupid."

"Like you even _care,"_ Sapphire shot back, the pain she was feeling now very evident in her voice. "You _never_ cared about Tika. _Or_ me. Don't act like you know what I'm feeling because you don't know _anything."_

"Silence!" demanded Dire, his voice rising as he unsheathed his claws, digging them into the ground. "I am your _leader,_ and I'm the reason you're even _here._ You will show me some _respect."_

In response, Scarlet slowly began to walk forward, her eyes and mine on the tom. I wondered what she would do. She walked right up to him, staring at him in the eyes. He was only a whisker away from her, but he didn't move. Neither did she. And even though I wasn't really _there_ and couldn't get hurt, I still felt uneasy as our leader looked at me in the eyes, his lip twitching.

Then, all of a sudden, Scarlet spit in his face before turning around, beginning to storm off. I was stunned. Even _I_ wouldn't have done what she just had. I heard Dire hiss in fury, and his pawsteps as he began to run after us. But Scarlet didn't look back, and neither could I.

And that was it.

All of a sudden, for the first time in Scarlet's body, I _felt_ as claws violently hit against the back of my neck. The pain was excruciating, and for a few moments I couldn't breathe. Scarlet didn't even scream. Instead, she stopped in her tracks, letting out a short, shocked gasp of air before she fell to the ground.

Her eyes wide, I could see in front of me the trees of the forest as my vision began to cloud. I could feel blood drip from my neck as it throbbed wildly, and I could hear Scarlet's panicked breath in my ears as her sides frantically heaved up and down, the tip of her tail quickly twitching.

The last thing I saw was Dire's legs as he walked over to me. Scarlet lifted her head slightly, allowing me to see, just for a moment, my leader's amber eyes as he gazed at me emotionlessly. After that, everything was gone.

.s.c.a.r.l.e.t.

I opened my eyes, and before me lay the Moonpool, the sweet sound of trickling water in my ears. It was light outside, and the water caught the reflection of the sun. Trembling, I heaved myself to my paws before looking around. It must have been late morning. I'd slept for that long? I yawned, and suddenly everything that I had witnessed that last night came back to me. My talk with Firestar, Brightheart, and Brackenfur, and... what I had witnessed from Scarlet's point of view.

My eyes suddenly widened, and I let out a small gasp. That's right. I had witnessed Scarlet's death from her eyes. And the one who had killed her was...

Dire.

Fury suddenly took over me like a flame, and I flexed my claws, scraping them against the hard stone I stood on. So it was him all along. His words came back to my mind- and the speech he had given us. He would search the area over and over before he would believe that someone from _his_ band had done this. And then, once he found someone who looked even the slightest bit guilty- me- he tried to figure out how to throw the whole thing onto my shoulders to keep himself looking like the innocent, honest leader he said he was.

I narrowed my eyes, lashing my tail as my head spun. I shook my head. I couldn't even believe this. This cat, who I had looked up to for so long, the cat who had trusted _me_ with the mission of coming to ThunderClan in the first place, had betrayed me. I'd killed a cat for _him._ For _his_ band. And it was something that I could _never_ take back.

I took a deep breath, shakily letting it go. I wondered if Ross knew about this. He seemed to have known who the killer was, but in that case, why hadn't he told me anything? He obviously wanted to help me. And he'd apologized to me. Did he know the truth? That his own brother had killed Scarlet?

I blinked, suddenly realizing that I shouldn't have been out here. I hadn't planned for this to take so long, and now cats were probably wondering where I was. Muttering a curse beneath my breath, I climbed back up the pathway leading to the pool and began my run back up the hill.

Soon I was once again racing across the moors, through the tall grass. I stopped only once, for about five seconds to glance around for any butterflies. But I told myself I didn't have time for this and quickly kept going.

Maybe no one will have noticed my absence. Or if anyone had, I could tell them I'd gone out for a morning walk around the lake. Maybe I'd gotten a little lost on the way.

I was soon back in the forest. It was a beautiful, sunny day, though the ground was still damp from the rain the night before. The hot sun would be able to dry it off quickly, though. I kept going, looking around every so often to see if anyone was around. Luckily, no one ever was.

A few minutes later, I finally reached the entrance of camp. I stood for a second, catching my breath, before I slipped through the bramble entrance.

The moment I was in camp, at the top of that hollow, I froze. Because sitting on the top of the Highledge was Dire, and it seemed as if every cat in the band was gathered beneath him. I blinked slowly. Was he holding a meeting?

Then, I caught Dire's gaze, and from where I was, I saw the tiniest of smirks line his face.

"Hello, Nightfall," he said. As if on cue, every cat in the hollow slowly turned to look at me, some of them quietly talking to each other under their breaths. I felt my blood turn cold, flattening my ears as everyone gazed at me restlessly. What was going on?

Dire flicked his tail, his amber eyes gleaming. "I'm glad you could finally join us."

**Phew. That one took a while. Believe it or not, this story is finally starting to wind down. Don't worry, though; we've still got quite a few chapters left to go!**

**OooohGooodplushiesIcan'tevennnnn. I don't remember if I've given out Scarlet plushies, though I probably have lulz. Whatever. Reviewers get baby Scarlet plushies with cute little angry faces and little angel wings. they'recuteiswear**

**Till next time,**

**Pearl**


	29. Chapter 29: Ever Again

**Oh hey guyz.**

**Recap: While walking to the Moonpool, Nightfall thinks about her mother and Ross. She soon finds the pool, up in the hills beyond WindClan territory. Falling asleep, she wakes up to find herself in StarClan's forest. Firestar talks to her about Whitepaw and why she sent her here, and soon Brightheart comes in. They talk for a bit before they leave, and Brackenfur enters. They argue briefly before he tells her that her band originated from the four Clans. He leaves, and Nightfall collapses, opening her eyes to find herself in ThunderClan's territory, unable to control her body. She soon realizes that she's seeing events from Scarlet's point of view, before she died. Dire approaches and they argue, and the tom kills Scarlet. Nightfall wakes up, furious and shocked by what she learned, and quickly goes back to camp, to see that the whole band had been waiting for her.**

**Word.**

Chapter 29

_Ever Again_

I stood there at the top of the hollow, wanting to move. But I couldn't. My paws were glued to the ground, and I was practically paralyzed by the endless stares upon me. I swallowed, my heart racing. Just what was going on?

After a few moments of silence, I flicked my tail, my ears flattened as I slowly made my way down the hollow. I lifted my head up high, trying to appear confident. I took a deep breath, letting it out as cats began to make way for me, moving to the edges of camp. I glanced to my left, seeing a few look at me quietly, some with distrust and others with anger. The pregnant she-cat even spit at my feet as I walked past her. As much as I wanted to claw her ears off, I didn't do anything. I noticed that at the entrance of the medicine den, Leafpool sat with Thornclaw and Cloudtail. The medicine she-cat blinked slowly, looking emotionless as she watched me. Cloudtail watched me with worry, and Thornclaw was frantically trying to push through the crowd, but he couldn't. Even Tawnypelt had come out of the elders' den, and now sat by herself at its entrance, observing quietly.

I spotted Mourn and Badger sitting together, frowning as we caught each other's glances. My brother's eyes were huge, and after a moment he quickly looked away, staring at the ground instead. His mate wrapped her tail around him comfortingly and gave me a small nod. I nodded back.

Once I reached the center of the hollow, I looked up at Dire, standing at the top of the stones. I noticed that Ross wasn't standing beside him, and when I glanced around, I saw that he stood at the bottom of the Highledge, turning his face away from me. I frowned a bit before gazing back up at my leader.

"What's going on?" I asked, taking a moment to look at the cats surrounding me. Their mumblings had stopped.

Dire lashed his tail, and I looked at him steadily, anger already building up inside of me when I thought about Scarlet and what he did to her.

"Last night, it came to our attention that you were gone," he said. "After several hours, you still had not returned. You know the rules about going out by yourself." I stared at him. Was that what this was about?

"S-Sorry," I said, actually a bit puzzled. I'd expected much worse. "I was taking a walk around the lake, and got lost-"

"Why hadn't you told anyone?" my leader suddenly snarled, his amber eyes narrowing to slits. I flinched just the slightest bit, but only out of surprise. I tried to think of what to say, but I was suddenly at a loss for words.

"She told _me," _came a voice. I pricked my ears, and the attention of the whole band turned to the foot of the Highledge, where Dire's brother and deputy sat. I stared at him; what was he doing? I hadn't told him _anything._ I found that I was smiling just the slightest bit, but I quickly caught myself. He was protecting me. I heard a few cats around me begin to chatter quietly again.

Dire looked down at him, a look of pure surprise on his face. Two seconds later, it was replaced with irritation. "And you let her _go?"_

"Yes," growled Ross, narrowing his eyes slightly as he looked at him. "I did." Everyone was shocked- especially Dire, who would _never_ think that his brother would go against anything he said. I swallowed, trying to keep a straight face.

Dire sneered, but shook his head, letting out a quiet cough before turning his attention back to me.

"No matter," he muttered. "That's not why you're here." I didn't move. I simply waited to hear what he had to say, trying to keep calm and ignoring the uneasy stares. My leader shifted his weight, waiting a few moments before he continued to speak. "...Last night, a meeting was held here. About you, Nightfall. And about Scarlet." I winced, actually hearing a few cats growl quietly. _That's_ what this was about. I glanced around, my mouth hanging open slightly. Was there no way out of this? I looked over at Ross, who was avoiding my gaze.

Dire narrowed his eyes, lashing his tail for silence. He slowly turned to look at me before saying, "This band, including myself, has accused you of killing her."

There it was.

There was suddenly an eruption of noises, of growls and snarls and name-calling, shouts telling me to leave, that I was a traitor, that I was a ThunderClanner- everything imaginable. I took a tiny step back, clenching my teeth together as I looked around, flexing my claws and scraping them against the stone. I couldn't possibly just _say_ that Dire did it. No one would believe me.

"Traitor!" Tin suddenly screamed in an ear-piercing manner. I whirled around, trying so hard not to leap at him at that moment, because that would only make things much, much worse.

"Murderer!" called another, followed by a few more. I wanted to yell at them that _they_ were the ones that caused the deaths of so many others. I wanted them to know the truth, that I wasn't the one they were looking for. But what could I do?

"Wait!" cried a she-cat, and I caught a glimpse of silver as someone was trying to push their way through the crowd. Sapphire then appeared, running into the center of the group, panting as she stood by my side and looking around frantically. I smiled slightly, though I wondered if she really knew what she was doing. I didn't want her to put herself into danger just because of me. I'd done that to plenty of other cats already.

"Stop!" she screeched, lowering the noise slightly. She looked up at the dark brown tabby at the top of the Highledge, her blue eyes huge. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I was with Nightfall that night. Why are you accusing her, and not me?"

"Your name is still not completely cleared," answered Dire. "But you have no reason to have done it."

"Oh, yeah?" challenged the she-cat. I glanced over at her, holding my breath. "What reason does _Nightfall_ have to have done it? She was the one that was worried about her, that's the whole reason we went out to look for her-"

"Silence!" snarled Dire, causing Sapphire to shrink down and whimper slightly. "You want to know why _she_ would have done it? Because she grew attached to ThunderClan, and in the end, she decided on them over us!"

"That's not even true!" exclaimed Sapphire.

Our leader looked down at her, obviously aggravated with the bold cat, but after a moment, a smirk slowly appeared on his face.

"Sapphire, do you know about the relationship between Nightfall and one of the ThunderClan prisoners?" My eyes widened, and I quickly looked over to where Thornclaw was standing beside Cloudtail and Leafpool. He was staring at Dire, open-mouthed.

I scanned the clearing, and saw quite a number of confused looks- including Sapphire's. I was sure that some cats had grown suspicious because Thornclaw and I had spent a fair amount of time together recently, but was Dire really going to expose our feelings for each other? Here, on the Highledge, before his entire band? It made me sick, and the hatred in my stomach boiled even stronger than before. I swallowed, bending my head down slightly.

Sapphire stared at him. "Wh-What do you..."

Dire lashed his tail, suddenly looking over at Thornclaw, who met his gaze with a visible flinch. The whole gang turned their eyes to him, some standing tall on their paws in order to see. A few growled and snarled in his direction.

"Get back in the den!" hissed Ruby, and a few others yelled in agreement.

"You've got it wrong!" exclaimed Thornclaw quite suddenly. I looked over at him, silent. "We became friends when she was part of ThunderClan, but nothing more."

"Really?" Dire said sarcastically, raising an eyebrow and baring his teeth slightly. "That's not the impression I got when I found you two sneaking out of camp, talking about running away together."

Shocked gasps were heard all around me, appalled mutters and growls. Thornclaw looked around at the crowd with wide eyes, backing up a few steps. Cloudtail stood there, not knowing what to do, while Leafpool glared at any cat who came close, pulling her lips back.

"Stop!" I yowled, the fur rising from my neck. Cats turned back to me, their eyes narrowed as they shifted about restlessly. Dire glared down at me, amber eyes narrowed. I met his eyes in the same manner, my tail swishing. "If you want to announce the details of my personal life to the whole band, _fine._ But you know as well as I do this _doesn't_ mean that I killed Scarlet."

"Yeah!" shouted Sapphire, standing tall, a frown on her face. "I was there with her! We didn't find her, let alone touch her! I of all cats would know."

"And aren't you quite good friends with Nightfall?" the leader challenged. "How can we trust your word and believe you aren't just protecting her?"

"You _can't_ trust her!" shouted Ember. "None of us can! Either of them!"

"Y-Yeah," mewed Vivi timidly. "I-I mean, we don't know if they're telling the truth, or not, o-or..."

"Please!" yelled a voice, and I looked over to see Thornclaw, looking desperate. "I know Nightfall, better than most of you. She isn't the kind of cat who would kill!" I held my breath, my heart nearly stopping. He just _had_ to say that, didn't he?

Dire sniggered, peering down at the ThunderClan tom. He flicked his tail before simply stating, "So I suppose she hasn't told you about your deputy?" Thornclaw answered with a puzzled look, and I looked around quickly before lifting my head.

"Dire, stop," I begged, my claws scraping against the ground. He ignored me, and continued.

"Nightfall killed your deputy."

There was silence. No, that's... not quite right. In fact, more chatter began around me. But I could only hear silence. I knew that many of my band mates had already known about this, and I didn't care about that. But I'd never told Thornclaw. Or Cloudtail, or any of them.

Sapphire looked over at me, but I avoided her glance. Instead, I forced myself to glance over at where the ThunderClanners sat, swallowing.

Cloudtail was staring quietly at Dire, not moving. Leafpool peered over, catching my gaze and narrowing her eyes a bit before she turned, heading back into the medicine den. Thornclaw was still looking at my leader, open-mouthed and wide-eyed. Then, slowly, he looked over at me, and we stared at each other for a long time. A look of shock and almost hurt was in his expression, and I wanted to say something- anything- but I couldn't. Finally, he flattened his ears, turning his gaze away to stare at the ground. I took a step towards him, but Sapphire lay her tail on my back.

"But if she killed their deputy," a voice rang out, "then doesn't that prove her loyalty to the band?" I blinked, watching as Ross took a few steps towards me. Turning, he looked up at his brother, a few taillengths from where Sapphire and I stood.

"Yeah, it does!" chimed Sapphire. "If anything, you're only helping prove her innocence!"

Then, I heard a few muffled "Excuse me"s as through the crowd pushed Mourn. A few seconds later, Badger followed, staring at the ground with a worried look on her face. My brother ran up to me and Sapphire, looking almost as if he would just topple to the floor. "Ross is right!" he squeaked, a bit timidly. He shrank back a little before continuing. "If she was loyal to ThunderClan, she never would have gone through with the plan so willingly!" I don't know if anyone was really listening to him, but I appreciated what he did.

"Quiet!" the leader snarled again. Suddenly, he looked down at Ross, his amber eyes nearly blazing. "You of all cats should know your place," he growled in a low voice. "Stand back and let me handle this."

Ross let out a small, half-hearted chuckle. The commotion around us began to quiet down as everyone's attention was turned to the argument that was beginning to rise between the leader and his deputy.

"My 'place' for me has always been to listen to you, to agree with you, and to do what you say," muttered Ross. "Ever since I've been named 'deputy.'"

I stared in amazement. He didn't have to be doing this. Not for me. Then again, maybe it wasn't _just_ for me. Maybe it was for him, too.

"You should be grateful to me you're even here!" hissed Dire, his fur beginning to rise. "I'm the one who made this all happen!"

"You're not the one who killed their leader," Ross steadily retorted, not moving an inch.

There was a dead silence, now. No one dared speak. Everyone simply watched to see what would happen. Even I was slightly shocked. I'd _never_ seen Ross speak out against his brother like that. Or at least, not in front of the whole gang. And not during a meeting regarding the murder of one of their own.

"...Well?" Dire said after an uncomfortably long silence. "Who do you choose- me or Nightfall? Because this time, you can't defend both."

"Nightfall didn't kill Scarlet," Ross growled, his eyes narrowing as his tail began to lash. I heard a few surprised voices around me; maybe now that their deputy was defending me, they'd change their minds. Maybe.

"Really?" Dire asked with mock surprise, obviously growing annoyed. "Then who did, Ross?"

They stared at each other for a long time, matching amber eyes unmoving, lips pulled back. I sucked in my breath. Ross _had_ to have known the truth. But standing before the whole band, would anyone believe him if he said it? And Dire wouldn't have gone down that easily, anyway. He never did.

For a moment, I thought I could see the smallest of smirks cross Dire's face, though I could have just been imagining it. He straightened up, flicking his tail at once.

"Enough," he mumbled. "This foolishness ends now." He lifted his head up, puffing out his chest as he gazed over his cats. He seemed to look at each individual, one by one, until his eyes finally rested on me. I looked back at him silently. "Nightfall," he said slowly. "I believe the band has come to a decision."

The group began to roar, once again spitting out insults now that they'd seen Ross hesitate against Dire.

"Get out of here!" growled Tin, and Sapphire pulled back her lips, glaring at her brother, who, in turn, quieted down slightly.

"Traitor!" another screamed.

"We don't want you here!"

"I didn't do it!" I yelled, but no one listened. It wasn't even worth the effort.

Sapphire brushed up against me, as did Mourn. Badger stood beside him, and Ross turned to look at me for a brief instant. His eyes were glowing, a small frown on his face. He seemed to be telling me that he was sorry. I managed the smallest of smiles before Dire suddenly cut everyone off.

"Silence!" he growled, growing tired and impatient. He looked down at me, and finally, I allowed myself to narrow my eyes. I told myself that he wouldn't get away with this, but part of me knew he would. Part of me knew that he'd won, and at this point, I couldn't do anything. I swallowed, but I stood tall and straight, waiting for whatever my "punishment" was going to be.

"Nightfall," Dire said again with a lash of his tail. "I hereby banish you from my band, and from the lake territory. You are now an enemy to us, and we will treat you as such if you ever return."

I stood there, stiff, unable to move for a few moments. The crowd shouted and cheered, continuing to hurl names at me, but I could barely hear them. My claws involuntarily flexed and scraped against the rock, and I grew almost dizzy. This cat, who everyone admired and obeyed, had just exiled the one he'd made look guilty for his own crime. A sudden burst of hatred came over me; I couldn't even look at him anymore.

"No!" Sapphire cried, her ears flattened against her skull. "You _can't!"_ No one payed attention.

Mourn looked at me, his expression like a little lost puppy's. His eyes were wide, his mouth hanging open, his whiskers quivering. He couldn't even say anything.

"Get _out!"_ Ruby snarled, taking a few steps towards me. I took a step back, baring my teeth, but knowing that it was best not to start a fight now. I just needed to get out of this place.

I began running, pushing through the crowd and avoiding a few blows.

"Nightfall!" cried Sapphire, and a few seconds later I leaped up onto the slope, quickly scampering uphill and out of reach of the others. I managed to get to the top, making myself look back. Sapphire and Mourn were trying to push through the crowd after me, Dire yelling at his gang to hold them back. I didn't even pay attention to the rest of the band. I didn't care anymore. I looked over at where Thornclaw was standing, but he wasn't even looking my way. He was hunched over, staring at the floor, his shoulders sagging. Cloudtail looked up at me, a frown on his face, his expression hard to read from where I stood, though I could sense some sorrow. But before I turned away, I caught Ross's gaze. He took a few steps forward, his mouth open slightly. I frowned, flattening my ears and clenching my eyes shut for a moment. He'd tried to help me, I knew he had. And even if he couldn't do anything in the end, it touched me.

Opening my eyes and sucking in my breath, I looked one last time at my "leader," and before I could even think about what I was doing, I yelled, "I know you killed her, Dire." I could see, from the corner of my eye, Ross lifting his head to look at me, but I kept my gaze steady on his brother.

While a few cats spat and scoffed a this, a few quieted down, tilting their heads slightly. Dire stared at me, eyes narrowed, unmoving. He didn't say anything, and I quickly added, "I went to the Moonpool and talked to StarClan."

"The Moonpool?" Dire growled, lashing his tail. But, for some reason, I thought I could sense some surprise in his tone. As if he knew about the place. Brackenfur's words flashed through my mind, when he was telling me about my band's origins- could Dire have known about the Moonpool, and everything else?

I continued. "They let me witness Scarlet's death, from her point of view. And you were the only other one there."

A few cats now talked to each other with confusion, as if they were _actually_ thinking over what I'd just said.

But Dire quickly stomped his foot, a sneer on his face. "That's enough of your desperate attempts to throw the murder onto somebody else's shoulders. The band has spoken. Get out."

Quickly refueled with energy by Dire's words, the cats turned to me again, growling and hissing and shouting. Though I could swear that a few of them had a look of uncertainty on their faces. And that was enough. Pulling my lips back at the leader, I finally turned away, suddenly wondering if I'd ever see any of these cats ever again. Mourn, Sapphire, the Clan cats, Dire... Ross. Quickly shaking my head and pushing those thoughts away, I turned, dashing through the bramble entrance and running through the trees until their shouts became distant.

**I don't have anything to say loooolll. I'm really tired.**

**Reviewers get a... uh. Dire plushie? Sure.**

**Till next time (:**

**Pearly**


	30. Chapter 30: Promise

**I just started working yesterday. And for some reason I thought It would be a good idea to work out right after my six-hour shift today. I'm so tired I can't even.**

**Recap: The band holds a meeting regarding Scarlet's murder, and they accuse Nightfall as the culprit. Ross and a few others try to defend her, but to no avail. Dire also exposes to the Clan cats that Nightfall killed Brackenfur, much to their shock. Ross speaks out against Dire, claiming that Nightfall didn't do it, but he won't reveal who did. Nightfall is banished from the band, and as she leaves, she wonders if she'd ever see any of these cats again. **

Chapter 30

_Promise_

It was night. A bit cooler than previous nights, but still somewhat warm. There was a light drizzle, but the clouds overhead were beginning to thin and blow away, and you could see just a few traces of the moon.

Up there, within jagged rocks and sparse grass and stone and dead trees, was a cat. He was curled up in a tight ball, his tail over his nose. He was fast asleep, his ear flicking every now and then, apparently in a dream. He was surrounded by others, all of them asleep under a bare tree jutting up from the stone.

The cat, brown-furred and short-tailed, suddenly opened his eyes, waking up with a start so violent that it jostled the cat resting beside him. The other, small with brown-striped fur, blinked open his amber eyes several times in confusion. He lifted his head, watching quietly as the other stood and looked around, a distant look on his face.

"What's wrong?" he asked him.

The first cat didn't turn to look at the other. He just stood there, with a look on his face similar to someone that was baffled by some puzzle they were trying to solve.

Finally, after a few moments, he looked around, a curious light flickering in the darkness of his eyes. "Someone's coming," he murmured quietly.

The other waited for him to continue, to say more, but that was it. He flicked his tail, slightly annoyed.

"Who?"

"I don't know," was the muffled reply as the cat shakily sat down, keeping his voice low as to not wake the others. "I don't know. But I had a dream. And I saw a... a cat. I'd never recognized it before." He hesitated for a moment. "Do you think they'd be able to help us?"

"You'd know better than I would," the other muttered, stifling a yawn. "Time will tell what happens to us. But for now, we both just need some rest."

The other nodded. Then, after a few more seconds, said, "How do you suppose the rest of them are doing?"

There was no reply for a long time. Finally, the second said, "I have no idea. Probably no better off than we are." There was no reply. The cat shifted, laying his head on his paws. "Let's not think about it right now. Go back to sleep." Again, no reply. It was long after the other had drifted off that this cat finally settled down, closing his eyes but never sleeping.

Nearby, a dark gray tom lay quietly, staring at his paws. He had heard everything. Could they really be saved? But... it wasn't so much _him_ that he was worried about. He thought about _her._ And it killed him, not even knowing if she was still _alive._

He shook his head. Why should he even be thinking about her? She had nothing to do with him. Not anymore, anyway. At least, that's what he'd been trying to tell himself for quite a while now.

So he, too, lay down his head, soon falling into a restless sleep.

.n.i.g.h.t.f.a.l.l.

"I'm sorry, Lilac," he had whispered, his voice etched with sorrow and regret as he bowed his head, looking almost _ashamed._ "I'm sorry." His amber eyes had shone with great emotion, and it was clear that not only had he wished he could have saved this she-cat, but also that he really did care deeply for her. As one of his own, and as one of the cats he ruled and protected and stood by, through fires and escapes and fighting and badgers and _everything._ Through the journey we had taken when we'd left out first home, and through the storms that had destroyed our second.

What was it that had changed him? He hadn't always been like he was the moment he'd killed Scarlet, or the moment he'd exiled me for it. He used to be different. So what was it? What was it that had corrupted him?

...Was it power? Some sort of newly found power, a power that he'd only just become truly satisfied with? Did taking back the lake fill him with some new energy, and did ordering for the deaths of dozens fill him with more? Did slowly walking up the Highledge that first time, the moonlight in his eyes and the breeze in his fur, suddenly change him for good?

I suppose that was it. And it was only growing worse as he began to realize his full potential, and the full potential of power he held over his cats.

Running through the morning light, my head pounding, I could, for some reason, remember when I stood there the day they'd come back from the moors. When Dire had announced to his band that he was naming his brother as his deputy. Ross's eyes had a certain spark to them, and something quite near a small smirk had appeared on his face. I remember, just for a moment, being barely able to tell them apart. That was when Ross had begun to change, too. He didn't talk to me much. He was cold to me when he accused me of Scarlet's murder, who he seemed to care little about. But as I continued through the woods, stumbling and tripping several times, I realized that that had never stayed permanent. Though for a short period of time he was slowly going through the change his brother had, it was abruptly put to an end. I knew that when he'd suddenly apologized to me that night. And the way he'd spoken out against Dire at the meeting before my exile, announcing that his "duty" had always been to obey and listen to his brother at all costs. Like he'd taken over his life.

But what was it that turned him around? I swallowed, shaking my head to clear the vision in front of me that had begun to blur. I was thinking too deeply about all of this. I had to have been. And frankly, Dire was the last thing I wanted to have on my mind right then.

I had to stay calm. I had to keep my mind focused, because what I was doing wasn't helping me. I stopped running for a moment, shaking my head again. And just as I'd begun to relax, nearly forgetting about what had happened, everything came rushing back. Dire standing at the top of Highledge spitting out lies about me, and the rest of the band willingly believing them. Hearing insults and names called out at me and seeing even the Clan cats turn away from me. I didn't belong with them, _or_ in the band. So where _did_ I belong?

Another wave of fury pulsed through my veins as Dire's amber eyes flashed before me. I dug at the leaves under my paws, involuntarily clenching my teeth so hard that it hurt. Closing my eyes, I took in a deep breath, letting it out. I tried to think of the possibilities I had before me. I could go right back to camp, trying again to convince everyone that I was innocent. Well, I sort of had already tried that, and that didn't get me anywhere. I mentally scratched that one off the list. I could go off, finding a shelter to temporarily stay in, maybe going back a few days- maybe even weeks, or months- later, when everything had cooled off a bit. Or, of course, I could run away as far as I could, never looking back and never _coming_ back. Which meant that I would never have to worry about Dire again. I'd never have to look at his face or hear his lies or be judged by my own band mates. I wouldn't have to worry about liking someone I wasn't supposed to and I wouldn't have to worry about anyone else dying.

But what else did it mean? It meant that I'd never seen Mourn, Sapphire, or Ross ever again. I wouldn't see any of the Clan cats- though I was sure that their opinions of me had changed, for the worse. But also, I wouldn't be able to prove my innocence and expose their leader for who he was. And I knew that if I didn't do that, then I'd never be able to live with myself for the rest of my life.

I took another deep breath, and a few more, trying to think things through and cool off. I knew that right then, there was nothing I'd be able to do. I just had to get out of this forest and find somewhere safe. I looked up at the trees; lately, I'd noticed that the leaves were very slowly beginning to change color as the very first signs of Leaffall began to show.

Finally, I continued on at an unsteady pace, the sun proceeding to rise as it approached the top of the sky. I wondered, briefly, what was going on back at camp. What were cats saying to each other? What were Dire and Ross doing? What about Mourn, or Sapphire? Did anyone try coming after me?

I was met by a stronger wind, and I knew that I was approaching the moors. Patches of grass appeared beneath my feet, a new scent washing over me as the trees grew thin and spread apart. When I could see the fields span out in front of me, I stopped for a moment, looking around. It was a beautiful day. I kept walking, continuing through the tall grass. I wasn't really thinking about just where it was that I was going. I didn't even care that much.

But before I got too far, I suddenly heard a noise from behind me. I flinched a bit, slowly turning around and shrinking down into the grass, trying to stay hidden. Flicking my tail, I heard another sound, the sound of a twig snapping. Was someone coming?

The next thing I knew, a large, golden-brown tabby appeared from the trees, halting as he looked around. The wind blew his fur, his eyes glowing and his tail lashing. My eyes widened a bit- it was Thornclaw.

Before I could even do anything, his gaze caught mine. He looked at me, and I looked back, none of us speaking for a moment. Finally, I lifted myself up, shaking my fur and staring at him in wonder.

"What are you doing here?" I mumbled quietly, a concerned frown on my face as I began to walk over to him. But to my horror, he reeled away when I got close, taking a few steps back. I stopped, looking at him. "Thornclaw-"

"Is it true?" he asked quietly, avoiding my eyes. His tail was slowly beginning to droop, his ears flattened slightly.

"Is what true?" I asked after a brief moment of hesitation. A second passed before I quickly added, "Thornclaw, Dire was lying, I didn't kill Scarlet-"

"I wasn't talking about Scarlet," he said, finally lifting his head to look at me. His eyes were swarming darkly with some emotion that I'd never seen in him before.

I stared at him, growing stiff, and suddenly not too sure how to respond. Had he come out all this way just to ask me about Brackenfur? For a moment there, I thought he was just there to say goodbye. That isn't vain of me, is it? I swallowed, having no idea how this would turn out. "I-"

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked quietly, his voice cracking a bit with audible pain. I could see a bit of hurt in his eyes, along with shock and maybe even anger.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, taking a step forward. This time, he didn't back away.

"Sorry?" he said, his voice suddenly louder and flaring with some new energy. He stared at me with wide eyes, a look of disbelief on his face. "You murdered my deputy and all you say is sorry?" He laughed weakly for a moment, shaking his head slightly. I looked at him, not knowing what to do. He then looked into my eyes, continuing to shake his head for a moment before he looked away. "Right when you think you really know a cat, it turns out you were wrong."

"I didn't have a choice!" I insisted, flattening my ears pleadingly. "Thornclaw-"

"Didn't have a _choice?"_ he suddenly hissed, obvious aggression in his demeanor and his amber eyes narrowed. I recoiled a bit, surprised. "Of course you had a _choice!_ You followed through with it because you afraid of what would happen to _you_ if you didn't! You take away a cat's life and say that you didn't have a _choice?"_

I stared at him in awe, unable to speak. The tom sucked in a short breath, shakily letting it out before he said, his voice barely audible, "You know, I was really starting to fall in love with you."

I took a small step back, my mouth hanging open slightly. I shook my head a bit before I could speak again. "Thornclaw, I'm _sorry,"_ I rasped, looking at him with slight desperation. "I _know_ that I can't take it back. And I _know_ that I should've told you. But I really do regret what I did. And I've sworn that I'll never kill another cat again."

"Did you ever love me at all?" was his unexpected response. I looked at him with disbelief. Was that all he cared about? Was he not even acknowledging my apology? I uncontrollably dug my claws into the soft grass, and for some reason, I felt some rush of anger come over me.

"So that's what this is about?" I said, my eyes narrowing. "Not Brackenfur? I'm sorry, should I not have even spoken to you about him? You obviously have other things on your mind."

"Answer the question," he muttered in reply, steadily meeting my gaze. His expression was hard to read. "Because I've seen the way you look at Darkwhisker. At Ross. Even when you first came to the band." I was silent. I remembered _several_ times during which Thornclaw had questioned my relationship with Ross. Had it always been bothering him? "Especially lately."

I shook my head, laughing faintly. "I can't believe this," I said, my tail twitching. "You come all the way out here just to ask about me and _Ross?"_

"That's _not_ the only reason," he growled, lowering his head a bit but still keeping his narrowed eyes on me. I couldn't help but snort. He was acting like such a little kit that it was ridiculous. I was growing weary of him.

"What does it matter?" I replied evenly back, flicking an ear. "You obviously haven't been listening to anything I've been saying."

He looked at me, with sort of a pout on his lips. There was a mixture of anger, hurt, and almost betrayal surging through his amber eyes. I blinked slowly, wondering if I'd been too hard on him. Of... of course I still _cared_ about him. It's not like all of my feelings for him were just wiped away in an instant. But when he stood there across from me, demanding that I justify my actions and pry his way into my personal relations with Ross...

No. Maybe he had a right to know. Because lately, I'd been growing more and more aware that something- and who really knows what- was developing between me and Ross. And that something was pulling me and Thornclaw apart- or at least, something was pulling me away from Thornclaw. And if me and him were supposed to trust each other and tell each other everything... Well, I guess I'd already skipped that step a while ago.

"...I don't know," I finally said, letting out a short sigh. He looked at me.

"Don't know what?"

"How I feel about Ross," I muttered, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed. I turned my face away, looking back at him after a few seconds. He was nodding a bit, biting his lip.

"Well," he said quietly. "I guess I'm not good enough for you?"

"I never said that!" I cried, a little louder than I'd intended. He looked at me for a moment before he opened his mouth to speak.

But before he could, I heard the bushes rustle about a dozen foxlengths away. I pricked my ears, growing stiff as I watched the trees. Pretty much anyone at this point wouldn't be good, what with Thornclaw having sneaked out of camp.

Thornclaw paused, looking at me, before turning around and following my gaze. Before either of us had time to move, who would appear from those ferns but Ross.

Perfect.

He stopped for a moment when he saw us, his black and white fur blowing a bit in the wind. His amber eyes rested upon Thornclaw, and they narrowed the smallest bit.

"Ross," I said quietly, taking a few steps forward to stand beside Thornclaw. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to find _him,"_ he said, pointing his tail towards the ThunderClanner. He looked at him, a bit of irritation flickering in his gaze. "I noticed you were gone. If _Dire_ was the one who'd noticed, it might have even costed you your life."

Thornclaw stared back at him, and I noticed that he was digging his claws into the ground. Suddenly, without saying even one more word, he turned towards the forest, running off into the trees until he was gone.

I watched him leave, silent, before turning to Ross. He looked at me, a bit of concern clear in his expression.

"How long were you in those bushes?" I asked quietly. He blinked, looking surprised. Then, after a moment, he murmured, "A bit."

"What did you hear?"

"...Most of it."

I nodded, flattening my ears in embarrassment. Great. He'd heard me argue about him with Thornclaw. And how I felt about him. I laughed quietly, shaking my head. I wanted to run in the opposite direction right then, but my feet stayed planted to the grass.

He gently prodded my shoulder with his paw, and I raised my head. He looked into my eyes, smiling slightly before it quickly faded. "Are you alright?"

I don't know quite why, but when he said those words, I broke down. Everything that had happened to me- not just that morning, but ever since I'd seen Kano die- came crashing over me like a giant wave. And I burst out into this cracked voice, reciting every bad thing that had happened since we left that forest. No, even before that. Schala dying in front of my eyes, my father vanishing, being forced away from the lake. And then, during the fire, how we had left Lilac behind. How as the gang had traveled across the meadow I felt as if no one was really there for me, except for Mourn and Sapphire. How I had began making friends in ThunderClan, how Graystripe and Brightheart were murdered... and how Cloudtail had tried to drown himself. What it was like to kill Brackenfur and bring the band back to the Clan I'd grown to love, and what was running through my mind when the whole gang shouted at me, accusing me of Scarlet's death. And even just then how Thornclaw had yelled at me, telling me that he wasn't the cat he thought I was.

I told him everything, my ears flattened and my tail tucked beneath my legs, my voice actually shaking and my legs trembling so much I felt like I'd collapse. This had _never_ happened to me before, and I didn't know what was going on. It's as if I'd kept everything bottled up for so long that it just suddenly came out, and I couldn't do anything about it. I was aware that Ross probably didn't know what to do, but after I finally finished speaking, he came closer to me, comfortingly resting his chin on my head as I pressed my face against his shoulder. It was just like a few nights ago, only we stayed that way for much longer.

"Sorry," I muttered, pulling my face away and looking up at him, but not backing up. "I'm usually not like that." He looked back at me, our noses nearly touching, his eyes shining.

"It's okay," he mumbled. He didn't say anything else, but seeing in his expression that he actually cared was enough. After hesitating for a moment, he looked away, saying, "I'm... sorry about Thornclaw."

I laughed softly, shaking my head a bit. "He doesn't deserve someone like me," I murmured. "No one does."

"Don't say that," he replied quietly, looking at me and flattening his ears slightly. I looked up at him before glancing down with a short sigh, shaking my head again and smiling a little.

"I lied to him," I said, my voice nearing a whisper. "More than once. I'm surprised we got _this_ far."

Ross flicked an ear before muttering, "It could've have lasted."

"I know."

He watched me, saying nothing for several seconds, before suddenly murmuring, "I want to come with you."

I opened my mouth slightly, surprised. He blinked softly, a small frown on his lips, that same look of concern lining his face.

"Ross," I breathed. "You... You can't. I don't want you to have to get involved in this."

"I want to get involved," he said. He tilted his head slightly before muttering, "I got you caught up in a lot and I'm sorry."

I couldn't help but smile just a little bit at what he was saying, but I caught myself. "You have to settle things in the band," I said quietly. "It isn't stable."

Ross looked at me, and I looked back. I waited for him to speak.

"...Fine," he said. "But after I get them to calm down and forget about this, I'm going to find you."

"Why do you care so much about me all of a sudden?" I whispered.

I could have sworn that I saw him flinch- just the tiniest bit- but I could have been seeing things. He looked away somewhat awkwardly; whatever he had to say, something was holding him back. Like he was afraid, or something. Which is really quite funny to say, it being Ross.

"Ross-"

"I've never not cared about you," he mumbled, lifting his head but still avoiding eye contact. His whiskers twitched until he finally rest his gaze on mine. For some reason, I couldn't find the words to reply. "Be careful," he said quietly, before he finally turned away, preparing to leave.

"Ross, I..." He stopped, and he looked over his shoulder. He waited. I blinked softly, flicking an ear. "...Do you promise that you won't put yourself in danger because of me?"

After a moment, a small smile appeared on his face. A warm, almost reassuring smile. It was gone within two seconds.

"Bye, Nightfall," he said quietly. He turned his head away, and I could faintly hear the words, "I'll find you. I do promise that."

He began walking off, only getting several foxlengths before I called out, "Ross, you know the truth about Scarlet's death, don't you?"

He stopped in his tracks, turning to me with a hint of sorrow or regret in his eyes. After a moment, he murmured, "...I'm sorry."

And then he padded off, disappearing as the morning sun grew higher above us. I watched him until he was gone, staying where I was for a long time until I slowly turned, padding towards the distant mountains traced against the sky and leaving home for the third time.

**Wow I'm tired. Did I already mention that? Also I'm hungry. I hope I can eat soon. Uhhh oh yeah the story. There are some parts of this chapter I really liked, others not so much. Think of it what you will. WORD my dad just told me dinner's ready. I'll finish this up quickly.**

**Reviewers. Get. A... Leopardstar plushie..? She was like, briefly there a couple times, right? Uh.**

**PS I kinda lied I was thinking about what plushie to give away for like way too long and then I just gave up and went to dinner now it's past midnight and cramps suck. TMI? **

**Till next time,**

**Pearly**


	31. Chapter 31: Brother

**Hey guyz.**

**Recap: In the mountains, a cat wakes up, telling another that someone is coming, and they wonder if that cat will be able to "save them." Someone else overhears and worries about "her." Later, Nightfall is running away from the band, thinking about how Dire had changed since they took over the lake, and how Ross had begun to change as well, but had suddenly stopped. Nightfall thinks about her options, and what she should do. When she gets to the moors, Thornclaw angrily confronts her about Brackenfur's death, to which she admits to being responsible for. He asks her about Ross, and Nightfall says that she doesn't know how she really feels about him. Ross shows up, telling Thornclaw to get back to camp. Nightfall breaks down, suddenly upset and scared about her situation (and life). He tells her he wants to go with her, but she tells him he needs to sort things out back at camp, first. He agrees, but promises that after, he'll find her. They go their separate ways.**

Chapter 31

_Brother_

She ran at an uneven pace, nearly tripping several times even through the rootless moors. Her breathing was so loud that it was almost all she could hear, an unbearable pounding in her head and her vision blurred. The sun was above her, hardly a cloud in the sky. Everything around her was beautiful; the dewdrops on the grass, the flock of birds flying gracefully overhead, the little white flowers that grew from the ground that you could find every now and then if you looked hard enough.

But she didn't notice any of it. She was a wreck and her mind was all over the place, her tortoiseshell pelt blowing messily in the wind. There was a recent wound on her neck, and with every step she took, it stung, a few drops of blood falling and landing in the grass. She paused for just a moment, trying to catch her breath as her thoughts churned. The first thing that came to her mind was her brother. She could faintly see the outline of his face, his dark brown fur and his amber eyes. Though they'd lived in separate Clans, she still cared about him. She always had. But now, he was dead. She thought about that cat she'd seen on her way to the moors- that short black one. And she flexed her claws, anger surging through her like a flame. Brambleclaw was _dead_ because of her. Well... maybe it wasn't _her_ who had killed him, but it was her band. And now her own Clan was being torn apart... so why wasn't she there helping them?

She shook her head. Most of them were gone. And at that point, she was so distressed about her brother that she didn't care much for the rest of them. All she wanted to do was find WindClan. She wanted to warn them that the rogues were coming, that they would do the same thing to them that they had to all the others. If she warned them now, then they would have time to escape. She glanced over her shoulder, back at the forests. She was too far away now to hear the fighting. Swallowing, she knew she had to keep going, because it would only be a matter of time before all of ShadowClan and RiverClan were wiped out and the rogues would move on.

She kept running, beginning up the hill that would lead to their camp. At the very top, she could see several stones, and several cats watching her from far away. She hoped that they wouldn't think of her as an enemy. Though ShadowClan and WindClan rarely got along, she needed to talk to them. If the Clans had any chance of surviving, this was it.

Her limbs began to grow tired from the slope, but she bit her lip, almost at the top.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" she heard someone call. She stopped, spotting a gray tabby at the top of the hill, a few others standing beside him. She blinked, soon recognizing him as Tornear.

"This is no place for a ShadowClan cat," spat another, a ginger tom named Weaselfur.

"I need to talk to Onestar," she said, flattening her ears slightly. "It's urgent. Let me come up."

After a few moments, a gray she-cat appeared beside the others, her blue eyes narrowed slightly. It was WindClan's deputy, Ashfoot.

"Is this some sort of a trick?" she asked, her tail lashing back and forth. "Are you alone?"

"Yes, I'm alone," the tortoiseshell she-cat sighed with exasperation. "Look around. If anyone was hiding in these moors, you'd be able to see them from up there. Let me come up. Please." Ashfoot hesitated a moment, but finally nodded reluctantly.

"Fine. Come up and make it quick."

Letting out a short sigh, she staggered up the hill, her legs shaky as her neck injury throbbed painfully. Perhaps she could see Barkface about getting it treated. But was there any time? She needed to make sure that they all escaped safely.

When she got to the top, she briefly glanced around. Their camp was situated in a shallow scoop in the earth at the top of the hill. A few small bushes spotted the area, and the remains of old badger burrows continued to be used for shelter. All around, the lean, muscular WindClan cats watched her, talking to themselves as they narrowed their eyes in suspicion. When she saw a dark gray tom, she pricked her ears, recognizing him immediately. He saw her, too, surprise flickering in his blue eyes.

"Tawnypelt?" he mewed, tilting his head. "What are you doing here?" Tawnypelt managed the smallest of smiles. She knew this cat well, as they had gone on quite the adventure together moons before.

"Hi, Crowfeather," she murmured quietly, wincing as her wound suddenly throbbed.

"What happened?" came a voice, and the she-cat turned to see a short-tailed brown tom scamper over to her. It was Barkface, the medicine cat. His eyes were wide in alarm and confusion as he began inspecting her wound.

"Stop, I'm fine," she insisted, clenching her jaws together. "Where's Onestar? I need to speak to him."

"I'm right here," was the reply, and Tawnypelt turned her head slightly, watching as the small tom took a few steps towards her. He was a slick, lithe cat with light brown fur that blew in the breeze. He slowly blinked his dazzling amber eyes, a bit of distrust flashing through them. "Why are you here, Tawnypelt? What business do you have with my Clan?"

Tawnypelt glanced around; the entire Clan was watching, now, and she felt self-conscious. But she swallowed, steadily meeting the leader's gaze.

"Your Clan is in danger. Rogues have attacked. They've already destroyed ThunderClan, and they're now fighting RiverClan and ShadowClan. You need to leave."

"What are you talking about?" Onestar said slowly, narrowing his eyes. "What rogues?"

"Didn't you hear the fighting in ThunderClan?" Tawnypelt spat, impatient. "That was them."

Onestar was silent for a moment, as if he was actually thinking this over. "...I thought that ShadowClan and ThunderClan had gotten into another fight," he muttered.

"Do you remember at the last gathering that ThunderClan had three new cats? They were spies. I saw them myself fighting my own Clan. They brought their band back and now they're taking each Clan out." She dug her claws into the ground, staring at Onestar intently. "Brambleclaw's already dead. So is Firestar, Brackenfur, and the rest of them."

There was a silence. Cats all around stared at her, open-mouthed for a moment before they frantically began talking.

_ "What?"_

"Firestar is _dead!"_

"If the rogues can wipe out the other Clans, then they're sure to kill _us,_ too!"

"What are we supposed to _do?"_

"Do we fight?"

"Silence!" called Onestar, trying to calm them down, though even he was beginning to look uneasy. He looked at Tawnypelt, his eyes wide. "Is what you say true?" he whispered. "Are we really in this much danger?"

"I swear," she breathed. "I came here before I didn't want _you_ all to die, too. You _need_ to get out of here before they finish ShadowClan and RiverClan off."

Onestar stared at her, not speaking for a moment, and then a cat stepped forward, standing beside Tawnypelt- it was Crowfeather.

"She's telling the truth," he murmured. "I know her. And I know that if we don't do what she says and evacuate, then we could be killed."

"Fine," Onestar said, a bit shakily. He looked around quickly, his eyes landing on the ShadowClan forest in the distance. He swallowed, looking back at Tawnypelt. "It's better that we trust your word than stay here and learn that you were right." He lifted his head high, raising his tail. "WindClan, we have to move out. From here, the safest place to hide is in the mountains beyond the Moonpool. I don't know how long we'll be there, but this camp- no, this whole lake- is no longer safe. Everyone, help the elders and carry the kits. We have to move _now."_

Cats started running all over the place, going into the nursery and the elders den, a few even grabbing some of the food that had been in the freshkill pile. Barkface was chewing up a poultice, quickly applying it to the wound on Tawnypelt's neck. She hissed a bit in surprise as it stung, but she nodded to the tom, thanking him, before he turned and ran into his den to fetch supplies to bring with him.

In the commotion, Crowfeather turned to Tawnypelt, his eyes wide. "Is all of ThunderClan really gone?" he breathed. "Are you sure?"

"N-No," she said. "I don't know for sure that they're _all_ dead. But I know that most of them have to be."

He nodded slowly, his eyes full of worry. Was there someone in particular that he was thinking of?

"Crowfeather! We're leaving!" called Ashfoot. The tom looked over at her and nodded before looking at Tawnypelt again.

"Tawnypelt, what are you going to do? Can't you come with us?"

The she-cat looked at him, and for a moment, she was very tempted to say yes, to go with him and the rest of WindClan and assure her own safety. But she couldn't. That black she-cat seemed to have been trying to assure her that Brambleclaw was still alive. And though it was unlikely, even the smallest chance that he wasn't dead made her hopeful.

"I need to go back to ThunderClan," she breathed. "I want to see for myself what really happened to my brother."

Crowfeather looked at her for a long time before finally nodding. "Alright. Tawnypelt, be careful. Don't put yourself in danger."

"Too late for that," she muttered before Onestar came back over to them.

"Thank you, Tawnypelt," he said quietly. "We all trust your word. If what you say is true, then you just saved this whole Clan."

"It_ is_ true," she replied, bowing her head slightly. Onestar nodded, bowing his head in return before lifting his head.

"WindClan! Move out!" His cats began to gather around him, their eyes wide in fear as they rapidly talked amongst themselves. Crowfeather looked at her, nodding slightly.

"Be careful," he mumbled.

"You, too."

He turned away, following his leader as he began to lead them away from the lake, down the slope and headed towards the mountains in the distance. Tawnypelt watched them go, letting out a long breath of air and praying that they would make it safely to the mountains. She didn't want another Clan dying off.

Slowly turning, she began to stumble down the slope, heading back towards ThunderClan to learn the truth about what had happened to her brother.

.t.a.w.n.y.

Tawnypelt shook her head, clenching her eyes shut for a few moments and bringing herself back into reality. She had been thinking about WindClan, remembering how she had gone to their camp and wondering how they were doing. Had they made it to the mountains unharmed? She knew that the band hadn't found them- yet. Would it only be a matter of time? Or had they already given up? They seemed to have bigger things on their paws, anyway- like the murder of one of their own.

She was standing right at the entrance to the former elders' den; it was getting close to sunset. The camp was strangely calm, despite everything that had happened that day- like the exile of that black cat she had met on her way to WindClan. What was her name? Night...? No, no. Nightfall. That was it. Tawnypelt remembered that Nightfall had visited her in the elders' den several times, trying to talk to her or give her food. She would never have anything to say to her, but she always did eat the food once she was gone. Though she was the only cat that had shown her any kindness- other than the ThunderClan prisoners, who she rarely came into contact with- she still could never forgive her for what she did, and frankly, she didn't care that she was gone. Maybe it was like she said, maybe she really didn't kill that ginger she-cat. But that didn't matter to Tawnypelt. She was still one of the spies that had led a band of rogues to the lake, killing dozens. And there was nothing she could ever do to make up for that- not even giving her rabbit.

"Get back inside," came a voice, and she looked over to see an orange she-cat, her eyes narrowed and a snooty expression on her face. Tawnypelt narrowed her eyes slightly, pulling her lips back, but she took two steps backwards, her whiskers twitching. Ember scoffed, spitting at her paws which made Tawnypelt hold back a hiss. "I don't know why Dire hasn't killed you yet," she muttered. "Same with the ThunderClan prisoners. Nightfall's the one that wanted them to stay, but she's gone now."

Tawnypelt flexed her claws, but she said nothing and turned away from the rogue, walking deeper into the stone den. Her eyes were narrowed in anger, but deep inside, what Ember had said worried her. If Nightfall was the one that had convinced her leader to keep the prisoners alive, would would happen now that she had left? She swallowed, remembering her decision to come back. She knew now that Brambleclaw was dead, but they hadn't told her who killed her. It could have been any one of these cats. That's what she always thought about whenever she looked out into the camp, before being told by someone to go to the back of the den.

From where she was, she could scarcely see the sky; now, it had beautiful shades of orange and yellow and blue as it began to set. She could see that the trees of the leaves were beginning to change colors, too, though there were still hints of green in each one. The sky was so pretty...

Tawnypelt crept forward slightly, suddenly having an overwhelming desire to run away. She was sick of this den, and this hollow, and this band. She was sick of being a prisoner who wasn't even allowed outside, and though she tried to shake them away, Ember's words were creeping into her mind. It would only be a matter of time before Dire realized that they had no use for her and the ThunderClanners, except for maybe Leafpool.

Plus- though she didn't really know why- she wanted so badly to make sure that WindClan was safe. She was the one responsible of sending them away from the moors, and she wanted to see it through.

She bit her lip, her thoughts and new possibilities laying themselves before her. Maybe she'd try to escape. Just try. And if she wasn't successful, then... _I could die,_ she thought bitterly. But wasn't it worth the try? Especially if she was going to be killed anyway. Closing her eyes, she made the decision. In a few hours, once it was darker and everyone was asleep, she would try to escape. She wouldn't bring the ThunderClanners with her, though- she knew that with them, they were all the more likely to be caught. And to be completely honest, she cared more about getting safely out of this place and making sure that WindClan was alright than them.

A few moments later, there was a tiny thud at the entrance. The she-cat pricked her ears, looking over to see Maxwell, one of the rogues, dropping a piece of prey.

"Here's your dinner," he said, waving his tail. Tawnypelt flicked an ear. Maxwell wasn't particular _unfriendly_, but she still didn't like him for some reason. She gave him no acknowledgment and waited until he was gone to take her meal. It was a tiny mouse, barely worth eating. She snorted, turning and leaving it there before she lay down, soon falling into a dreamless sleep.

.t.a.w.n.y.

She blinked open her eyes, parting her jaws into a huge yawn, her head hurting a bit. She hadn't slept well at all.

It was dark and quiet outside, and quite cool and windy. She heaved her aching joints to her paws, the old bedding not giving her much comfort anymore, but no one had cared enough to change it. She swallowed, silently walking towards the entrance, staying on her toes.

She poked her head out, looking around cautiously; the clearing was empty, and everyone must have been fast asleep. She flicked an ear with satisfaction; maybe this would be easier than she'd thought.

"What're you doing?" came a sudden voice, nearly causing Tawnypelt to jump three feet in the air. She looked over, seeing Maxwell look at her curiously. He had been leaning against the den, and his dull eyes glimmered faintly with fatigue. The she-cat bit her lip, but replied evenly, "I'm going to the dirtplace."

Maxwell blinked, but nodded after a moment. "...'Right. Don't take too long."

Tawnypelt flicked her ear, heading towards the corner of camp where the dirtplace was, hidden behind a clump of bushes. She glanced up at the wall; she could try to climb it from there. It would be hard, but there were guards at the main entrance, she knew. She would have to do it quickly, too, before Maxwell noticed. At least she had the cover of the darkness to protect her.

Pushing through the bushes, she paused, looking about. There were several rough edges in the steep slope that she could use as footings. Taking a few steps back, she ran and jumped up, unsheathing her claws and scraping them against the stone, trying to find a foothold. After a moment, she secured herself to the incline, letting out a shaky breath. She didn't look over to see if Maxwell had seen her- she just had to keep going. Swallowing, she kept climbing, nearly slipping several times. But soon, she was near the top, and she raked her claws over the ledge, heaving herself up and stumbling past a few bramble bushes that were guarding the camp. Thorns tugged at her fur, giving her several scratches all over her face. She winced, letting out a small hiss but finally getting through the barrier.

Panting, she looked over her shoulder, fear gripping her for a moment as she thought about what would happen when Maxwell realized she was gone. Would they send out a patrol to find her? She needed to get away from there, as soon as she could. So, giving herself no time to rest, she turned and darted off through the dark forest, narrowing her eyes as she struggled to see. The moon gave her a bit of light, but little managed to get through the treetops.

Though she was unfamiliar to these forests, she knew how to get to the mountains. She'd been there before. She quickly shook her head, not in the mood for getting caught up in old memories. She had to focus and run as fast as possible, dodging rocks and branches and roots jutting from the ground.

She kept running like this for what seemed like moons. The forest kept on going; it seemed much bigger in the dark, for some reason. But soon, she could smell the open air of the moors and she knew she was getting close.

She broke out into the open, where it was much brighter and easier to see. She allowed herself to pause, for only a few moments; the last time she was here was when she'd gone to warn WindClan days earlier. It was so different at night than during the day. The moon was almost full, now, thousands of stars sparkling through Silverpelt. There was a fresh crispness to the air, cleaner and tastier than the air in ThunderClan's old camp, and certainly nicer than the air in the back of the elders' den. Tall grass was blowing, causing ripples similar to those of the lake. Tawnypelt swallowed, and it suddenly dawned on her that this was no longer WindClan's territory. It was the rogues'.

She took a few bounds forward, smelling rabbit, causing her hungry stomach to growl. She still hadn't eaten dinner. _I'll eat in the mountains,_ she told herself impatiently.

Green eyes flashing in the light of the moon, she sprinted silently through the moors, the wind in her face. Her muscles already ached from her trek through the forest, and from her continually restless sleeps. Part of her couldn't even believe that she was doing this, but part of her wondered why she hadn't already. She had no idea how this would turn out- any of it. For all she knew, all of WindClan could already have died.

But she couldn't think like that. She had to keep going, thinking that she was doing this for a reason.

She stopped at the top of a small hill, a few flowers growing around her paws. She could see the mountains out before her. She was close to the Moonpool, and they weren't far beyond that.

She soon felt stone beneath her feet as the ground gradually went down. The gentle sound of trickling water came to her ears; she had seen the Moonpool once before, but it had been ages, and knowing that such a sacred place for the Clans would stay safe gave her a sort of comfort. Without even thinking about it, she found herself slowly taking the spiraling path down to the water, her paws fitting in the ancient imprints that had been left there by who knows who.

But then she froze, jumping back a bit in shock when she saw that she wasn't alone. Beside the water was a cat, curled up in a tight ball, the tip of its tail flicking back and forth.

Tawnypelt flexed her claws, flattening her ears and cautiously walking forward. In her mind, she was wondering why she wasn't just running away, but something about this cat made her curious. Why would any of the rogues come here? That seemed silly. Was it a loner?

Looking closer, she saw that it was a slim, black she-cat, though her fur was a mess, as if it hadn't been groomed lately, and she had a nick in one ear. The ShadowClanner blinked slowly, hesitantly lifting a paw and gently prodding the cat on the shoulder. The she-cat grumbled something sleepily beneath her breath before lifting her head, her amber eyes widening in surprise.

Tawnypelt returned the stare, involuntarily stepping back as recognition swept through her mind. It was her. The cat that had implied that her brother was dead, the one that had come to ThunderClan with two other rogues as a spy, the one that tried talking to her and giving her rabbit... Nightfall.

"What are you doing here?" Tawnypelt demanded warily, the fur on the back of her neck rising. She narrowed her eyes a bit, for some reason feeling anger that this cat had the nerve to sleep somewhere so holy.

Nightfall blinked, shakily getting to her paws. She seemed about as surprised as Tawnypelt was, but the ShadowClanner could tell that she was making an effort not to show it.

"...I could ask you the same thing," she replied evenly, watching her, though Tawnypelt couldn't sense any aggression in her voice. Still, she wasn't planning on letting her guard down. This cat was an enemy to all of the Clans, and she could never trust her.

"You're not part of the band anymore," the tortoiseshell retorted. "You have no power over me. It's none of your business what I'm doing here."

"Nor is it any of _your_ business why _I'm_ here," she replied. Tawnypelt narrowed her eyes, but couldn't think of any sort of comeback. The black she-cat tilted her head slightly, watching her curiously before glancing up at the sky. "I didn't mean to fall asleep," she murmured, seemingly mostly to herself. "It's late."

Tawnypelt said nothing. She simply looked at her, wondering if she'd say anything more.

"Did you run away?" Nightfall asked quietly, looking at her with a blank expression, amber eyes flashing. The ShadowClanner flinched just slightly, her tail lashing. "You can tell me," she said, seeing that the tortoiseshell was beginning to get worked up again. "There's nothing I can do about it."

Tawnypelt hesitated before giving a small nod. The rogue sat down, wrapping her tail around her paws.

"Where are you going to go?"

"Why do you care?" the tortoiseshell spat, maybe even a bit more fiercely than she'd intended. Nightfall let out a brief sigh, her ear flicking in what Tawnypelt had the feeling was slight irritation.

"Fine. You don't have to tell me." She got up, stretching out her body and giving a huge yawn. "Have a good life, Tawnypelt." The black cat turned, slowly making her way up the spiraling slope, not bothering to look back at the ShadowClanner.

The other watched her, feeling, for some odd reason, a bit of disappointment that she was leaving. She couldn't trust her- she'd told herself that many times. But maybe she would be useful to travel with. She knew that she had lost her main connection to the band, and that they had all violently turned against her. Maybe she was really just as alone as Tawnypelt was.

"...I'm going to the mountains," she said. Nightfall stopped, about halfway up the path. The black cat stared at her, expecting her to continue. Tawnypelt flicked her tail, feeling slightly uncomfortable. "WindClan is there." She really didn't even have time to _think_ before she said that, and half a second later, she wondered if she'd regret it. But then again, what could this rogue do? She was really, at this point, a loner. And Tawnypelt knew that if she needed to, she could fight this cat and probably win, for she had learned, growing up, not only the techniques of ShadowClan fighters, but of ThunderClan's, too. And honestly, the only reason that the rogues won over the Clans was because there were so many more of them, not necessarily because they were better fighters.

"WindClan?" echoed Nightfall, surprise etched in her voice. "They're in the mountains?"

"I'm the one who sent them there," the tortoiseshell explained slowly, her tail lashing as she began making her way up the paw-printed slope. "During the ShadowClan and RiverClan battle. I wanted to see if they'd made it there safely. They're my responsibility."

"And what if they hadn't?" the black cat asked smoothly. "What will you do, then?"

"Look," bristled Tawnypelt, stopping when she was face-to-face with the rogue. "Maxwell has probably already noticed that I'm gone. I _can't_ stay here. I don't care what you do, but I'm going to the mountains. Now. You can come or not, but I'm leaving." With that, she began stalking off, and though she looked strong, fear stung her at the thought of being caught.

"...Wait," Nightfall said once the ShadowClanner had reached the top. The latter stopped, but didn't turn around. She could hear the she-cat take a step forward; "I'll come with you."

That was when Tawnypelt looked back, her own green eyes matching deep amber ones. After a moment, the tortoiseshell nodded, and the rogue nodded back.

They didn't get far before Tawnypelt stopped, looking seriously at Nightfall. "How did my brother die?" she asked, her ears flattening slightly. "None of them will tell me. All I know is that he's dead."

Tawnypelt thought that she could see the black cat flinch, but of course it was dark and difficult to see. Still, what if she knew the truth? She had to have. She had been one of _them_, once, too.

But all the she-cat mumbled was, "I don't know," quickly adding, "I'm sorry."

The tortoiseshell's tail drooped a bit, just from _thinking_ about Brambleclaw. Either this cat really didn't know how he'd died, or she was hiding it from her.

"...Whatever," Tawnypelt muttered, continuing over the rocky slopes. "Let's just go."

Nightfall silently followed after her, a small frown on her face as the two made their way to the looming mountains ahead, the moon shining brilliantly.

**So, after writing thirty chapters almost entirely from Nightfall's POV, this chapter was so bizarre to write lulz. Especially at the end when she was talking to Tawnypelt. **

**I know this isn't exactly the most exciting chapter ever, but everything is just getting ready to come together for the end.**

**Also I'm going away for like a week and a half on Saturday so obvz I won't be updating during then. So I'm glad I at least got this chapter up.**

**Review and you get a Onestar plushie! I didn't even have to take hours to try and think of which ones I haven't given out! New characters ftw**

**PS I worked seven hours yesterday. And I'm going in soon to work seven more. And it mostly requires standing and not being able to sit for the whole time. Yay? (lolihateworking)**

**Till next time,**

**Pearl**


	32. Chapter 32: In My Life

**Back from vacation! I wrote like, 70 per cent of this today lulz. It was raining and I was home all day.**

**Recap: It's revealed that during the battle between the band and ShadowClan and RiverClan, Tawnypelt had gone to WindClan to warn them of the coming attack and advised them to leave. They believe her and set off for the mountains. Tawnypelt returns to the ThunderClan camp, determined to learn the truth about the death of her brother, Brambleclaw. In present time, it's night, and she thinks about Nightfall's exile and WindClan, hoping they're alright. She decides to escape, and a few hours later, she does. She finds Nightfall at the Moonpool, and tells her she's going to the mountains. Nightfall agrees to come along. Tawnypelt asks her how her brother died, but Nightfall says she doesn't know.**

Chapter 32

_In My Life_

We walked for a long time in silence, the stars flickering silently as we made our way towards the mountains. We'd slipped back into the trees, slowly navigating through this vast, unfamiliar forest that led to our destination. It was dark, and there was a tense, uneasy feeling in the air, and that frightened feeling you get when you have no idea what's going to happen. With each step we took, I grew more nervous, tree branches bustling loudly and owls hooting. We could easily get lost in here.

It was strange, having Tawnypelt at my side. She was the last cat I would have expected to show up, and the last one that would have agreed to travel with me. Still, I could only imagine that she was feeling anxious, especially from the small frown on her face and her green eyes that flickered uneasily. There could have very well been cats out looking for her, right then, in the dead of night. I'd asked her if she'd wanted to go any faster, but she'd replied no.

Though we said little to each other, I felt some strange connection to her. We were both alone, now, separated from whatever we had. Though in her case, I doubt she had much.

I thought about the question she'd asked me- what had happened to her brother, Brambleclaw. It was honestly hard to decide if I should tell the truth, and in the end, I lied. I knew that she had a right to know. She seemed so close to him, just like me and Mourn. And when I looked at her, and when she spoke, I could see a bit of myself in her.

But a part of me told myself that I shouldn't tell her who it was that had killed Brambleclaw before throwing him into a stream. It couldn't have ended well.

For Ross.

But still, had I been in her situation, had it been Mourn... I would have died for him, and I would have wanted so badly to know who it was that had killed him. I swallowed, trying to think about something else.

Deciding I'd attempt to break the silence, I asked quietly, "What was living in ShadowClan like?" I realized that that was the wrong question, though, when she flinched, her eyes narrowing as she stared in front of her.

"You mean before you destroyed it?"

My fur bristled slightly, and I wondered why I even brought it up. She glanced over at me, and I caught her gaze, but I said nothing.

"...I used to live in ThunderClan," she muttered. I pricked my ears, studying her as we walked, surprised that she actually said something. She blinked quietly, as if she was thinking about her past. "With my parents and my brother."

I nodded, looking at the ground and the leaves and rocks we passed by. "...What were your parents like?"

She flattened her ears, and I honestly thought she'd snap at me or give me some snide remark, but her tail drooped a bit and she opened her mouth to speak.

"...My mother was great," she murmured. "Her name was Goldenflower." I slowed down a bit, memories flashing before my eyes. Goldenflower. I remembered her. I couldn't remember if I'd ever talked to her, but she had reminded me of one of the elders of my own band, the ones we'd left behind. I looked over at Tawnypelt. She was staring in front of her as she walked at a forced, steady pace, a tiny frown on her lips. "She was the best mother you could imagine."

"Why did you leave for ShadowClan?" I asked quietly, aware that I was probably pushing it, but she actually didn't seem to mind. I think she forgot who I was, for a moment, and was content with simply talking to anyone. I could only imagine what she was feeling.

Tawnypelt stopped walking, for a moment, and closed her eyes. "...My father was a traitor to ThunderClan," she murmured. "He killed their deputy and attempted to kill their leader, too."

"Firestar?" I questioned.

She shook her head.

"No," she mumbled. "The leader before him. Bluestar." She opened her eyes, looking out into the distance with a hard expression. "He left ThunderClan," she murmured. "He was exiled. And he... he became the leader of ShadowClan." She flexed her claws, digging them into the ground. "I... Everyone in ThunderClan, they... They thought I'd turn out like him. Nobody trusted me. I felt like I didn't belong." She flicked her tail, her voice scratchy but nearly emotionless. "So I went to ShadowClan with my father. Tigerstar."

Tigerstar? Hadn't I heard that name before? He was the one that had been killed with a blow to the stomach, the one who'd tried to take over all four Clans. She was his daughter?

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't," she muttered in a low growl. "He tried to destroy the Clan that had raised him. He didn't care about me. Or about Goldenflower. He left her, and I still don't forgive him for that."

I didn't say anything for a few moments, but finally, I muttered, "My father left my family, too."

She looked at me, and for the first time, I saw a spark of acknowledgment in her eyes, like we had something that actually connected us.

"...What was he like?"

"I don't know," I murmured. "He was gone before I was born. My mother never told me anything about him."

"And your mother..."

"Is dead."

The tortoiseshell nodded quietly, looking away and blinking slowly. I looked over my shoulder before clearing my throat.

"We should keep going."

Tawnypelt nodded in agreement, and we continued on together.

.f.a.t.h.e.r.

It wasn't long until we'd reached the foot of the mountains. We began up the gray, rocky slope, no longer protected by the leafy canopy. Taking a step on the cold stone, a shiver rolled down my spine as I felt the first taste of the mountain air.

The mountain we were on was big and vast, very bare of greenery besides a few dead trees jutting from the ground and sparse patches of grass. The surface was jagged and uneven at some parts, and as we began to ascend through the unknown darkness, I began to question where it was we were going.

"Couldn't they be anywhere in these mountains?" I murmured quietly as we slowly continued climbing. "Do you know exactly where they were headed?"

"They said they were going north," she mumbled, though I thought I could see a bit of worry in her eyes. "North of the Moonpool. This is the first mountain directly north. They should be here."

A few minutes passed before I stopped, turning around for the first time. We were high enough that I could see the forest we'd just gone through, and even glimpses of the lake off in the distance, the shimmering moon giving us light as millions of stars twinkled brightly.

Tawnypelt paused, seeing that I'd stopped. She walked over to me, following my gaze and not speaking. Neither did I. We kept going.

.n.i.g.h.t.

Deep in the forest, in a stone hollow, cats were sleeping. Most were, anyway. Standing at the foot of the Highledge stood a broad black and white tom, amber eyes gleaming silently as his tail flicked softly. He was staring out into nothing, barely even feeling the cold air as it brushed against his pelt.

The bare ground was spotted with bits of moonlight that seeped through the trees, and a few twinkling stars could be seen. Tiny patches of grass dotting the hollow swayed in a breeze as, slowly, they began to die. Leaffall was carefully approaching.

Someone was watching him. From the old warriors' den, a tall, lithe white cat, one black paw hanging in the air, slowly blinked his eyes as he exited the shelter.

The white cat watched the other for a moment, his ears flattening against his skull. He hesitated, wondering if he should go over there or not.

This whole night, he hadn't gotten any sleep at all, and it wouldn't be too long before sunrise. But how _could_ he sleep, when his sister had just been exiled from his band, falsely accused of a murder he _knew_ she didn't commit?

Well... Alright, at one point, he may have had his doubts. But it was the other cats. They were getting to him, telling him things he didn't want to hear. He knew now, though, that they were wrong- even if they didn't realize it.

He took a small step towards the black and white cat, thoughts churning curiously. This cat seemed to have been curiously affected by Nightfall's exile. It surprised him. Were they really that close, or...?

Letting out a small sigh, the white cat made his way across the clearing. He paused, but the other seemed not to have noticed him, or if he did, he gave him no acknowledgment.

"H-Hi, Ross," Mourn said hesitantly. He tilted his head, almost expecting the other to growl or snap at him in some way.

But Ross looked up at him, giving him the smallest of nods before staring back out into nothing.

Feeling awkward, but not really knowing what else to do, Mourn sat down beside him, watching the other with sparkling amber eyes.

"What... are you doing out here?" he asked him quietly, before quickly looking down at his paws as he began to shuffle them.

"I couldn't get to sleep," muttered Ross.

"Me, neither," Mourn replied faintly, following Ross's gaze out into the darkness. He waited a moment before looking at him, biting his lip. "...Are you thinking about Nightfall?"

He could have sworn he saw the black and white cat flinch, just _slightly._ It surprised him, a little, but still; Mourn wasn't oblivious. He had kind of guessed that there was something there between his sister and Ross, even while she'd seemed so close to Thornclaw. He remembered way back before the gang had even ventured here, right after that forest had burned down. He'd told Nightfall that he thought Ross liked her, and her reply had been... Well, actually, she almost choked on the rabbit she'd been eating. But, still. Why else would Ross be sitting outside, yellow eyes gleaming dully as he stared off into the distance?

"...I said I'd find her," he mumbled. Mourn pricked his ears and looked at him. Ross had a small frown on his face, his eyes narrowed slightly. "After everything calmed down, I said that I'd find her. I promised."

The white cat nodded slowly, moving his paws around. "...Then what?" he asked in a murmur. "Are you gonna come back?"

Ross didn't reply. He didn't know. Lately he'd felt... trapped here. He felt that because he was the deputy and the brother of the leader, there was a certain way that he had to act, and live, and _breathe._ He couldn't take it.

He didn't know what would happen. What if he couldn't even _find_ Nightfall? What if she was already dead?

Something caught Ross's eye at the top of the camp. Lifting his head, he saw Maxwell slipping through the bramble entrance, his eyes wide. Was something wrong?

The two watched as he skidded down the slope; they exchanged glances, and then padded over to the tom.

"Maxwell," Ross said quietly, his ear flicking. "What's wrong?" The short, gray tom looked up at his deputy, green eyes wide.

"U-um. Well, it's quite the funny story, actually-"

"What is it?" growled Ross, his eyes narrowing. He wasn't in the mood for this. He knew he needed sleep. Mourn stood beside him, looking worried.

Maxwell cleared his throat. "Well... Earlier, one of the prisoners... Tawnypelt... She went to the dirtplace, and-" He broke off, afraid to continue. Ross knew what was coming, but he waited for the cat to finish. "...I can't find her. I... I think she escaped." Before anyone could say anything, he quickly added, "I just went around to see if I could find her, but-"

"Why didn't you tell someone the moment you saw she was gone?" the deputy hissed, tail lashing. Maxwell took a step back.

"I... I thought I'd be able to find her. I thought maybe she was headed towards ShadowClan-"

Ross muttered something under his breath, his claws scratching at the stone. "Go tell Dire. He'll set up a search party."

Maxwell nodded his head in understanding and raced up the Highledge.

Within minutes, cats were all over the place as their leader tried to assemble them accordingly.

Ross just stood there. Mourn sat with him for a long time.

.r.o.s.s.

It wasn't long before the sun began to rise. The darkness of the sky turned to a very faint blue before light appeared from across the mountains to the east, and I remember squinting for a moment as I looked over to see the lands suddenly begin to burst with color. Shades of red and orange and yellow dashed across the sky, and when I turned around and looked back down towards the lake, I could see a thin mist hanging over everything, the water so distant now yet still visible from the height I was at. I heard morning doves and swallows and saw three crows far away traveling over the forest. The stars had vanished and thin clouds now rolled past us.

We had come a long way up this mountain, scampering over the stone and stopping once to find food, which proved to be a bigger challenge than we'd thought; little prey dwelled up here in the dangerous openness of the stone, yet we managed to find a shrew, which we split.

We stood for a while, watching as the sun rose from the horizon, so captivated by its beauty that neither of us spoke. Every muscle in my body was aching from the strenuous climb, and when I looked up, there was such a long ways to the top that I questioned why I'd even come along with Tawnypelt. What if WindClan wasn't even here?

"Ready?" I said quietly after a few minutes. Tawnypelt looked exhausted, too; she had her head hung over, and I noticed that she'd gotten skinnier since she became the band's prisoner. But she nodded, getting to her paws.

"We've come along way," I commented as we walked.

"Well, we have a long way to go," the she-cat muttered bitterly. "They could be anywhere on this mountain. We haven't even gotten to the top, yet."

I flicked my tail. "Well, we..." I stopped, one paw hanging in the air as my ears pricked up. Tawnypelt turned around, watching me.

"What are..." She blinked, looking around, her fur very slowly beginning to bristle. She looked at me, a flash in her eyes. "Do you smell that?"

I nodded, knowing right away what the scent was. It was another cat. A cat very nearby.

I had no idea who it was; maybe it was someone from the band, looking for Tawnypelt. Or a WindClan cat. Or a complete stranger. Still, I stood beside the ShadowClanner, my eyes narrowed, preparing myself to fight if I had to.

But then, some spark lit up Tawnypelt's face- was it recognition? The she-cat's jaw dropped slightly and she looked around, before the word "Crowfeather?" quietly escaped her lips.

I looked at her curiously, and suddenly, from behind a large rock, a cat appeared. I had never seen him before- he was lean and long-legged, dark gray with blue eyes on a somewhat small head. He stopped in his tracks when he saw us, his eyes widening as he stared at the she-cat beside me.

"Tawnypelt?"

"Crowfeather," she smiled, trotting up to him. He smiled back, shaking his head slightly. I stood several foxlengths away, watching quietly.

"Tawnypelt, what are you doing here? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she murmured. "I was taken in as a prisoner by the rogues. I escaped last night."

"What?" he meowed. He flattened his ears, the fur on the back of his neck sticking up. "They did? What did they do to you? Are-"

"Nothing," she assured him. "I'm fine. Crowfeather, where's the rest of WindClan? Are they alright?"

He hesitated before he nodded. "We're all fine. We're a little ways from here. I was out hunting. We're having a hard time finding food, but we're surviving." He looked away before murmuring, "What about the rest of the Clans? Are they..."

"They're gone," Tawnypelt muttered. "The rogues destroyed them." I felt as if that was very much directed at _me,_ but she didn't bother turning around to face me.

Crowfeather sat down, shaking his head slightly. "Everyone?" he asked quietly. "They're all dead?"

"Other than me, yes," the tortoiseshell said quietly. She blinked. "Actually, ThunderClan had a few survivors that are being held prisoner."

"What?" the tom said, looking up at her. His eyes glowed intensely; _"Who?" _I sort of wondered why he was so interested, but I said nothing. In fact, he barely seemed to have noticed me.

"Cloudtail, Whitepaw, Thornclaw... and Leafpool." A small smile twisted onto the cat's face as he looked down at his paws. He let out a long sigh, murmuring beneath his breath, "Thank StarClan." Tawnypelt looked a bit puzzled, herself, but let her curiosity go.

The tom lifted his head, looking, for the first time, at me. He got to his paws, his eyes narrowing a bit.

"Tawnypelt, who is she?" he asked. _You know, you could ask _me_,_ I thought, but said nothing.

"Nightfall," the tortoiseshell said quietly. "She..." She looked at me, obviously not too sure how to introduce me and giving me the choice myself. I nodded just the smallest bit in thanks.

"I'm a loner," I murmured.

"A loner?"

"I lived in a barn far away from here," I said quietly, using the same lie we'd used when we first got to ThunderClan. "...It burned down weeks ago."

"I found her on my way here," Tawnypelt said, sending me a glance. "I wanted to make sure WindClan was alright."

Crowfeather nodded slowly; he still didn't seem completely convinced, but he questioned me no more.

"I can take you to my Clan," he said. "Onestar will be glad to see you, Tawnypelt, and I'm sure everyone has some questions for you."

"Thanks, Crowfeather," the she-cat said, dipping her head. He nodded, watching me carefully, and then flicked his tail, beginning to lead us west.

It was a short walk to their camp. Crowfeather and Tawnypelt walked side by side in the front, and I followed behind. I'd only ever seen WindClan at the Gathering, mixed up with everyone else. I knew I wouldn't be able to recognize individual faces, but I remembered that Firestar had announced his three new warriors, pointing me out in the crowd. Everyone had stared at me. What if they could remember my face? I let out a shaky breath, praying for the best.

The strong scent of many cats came over me, and after we passed by a rock, we came to a somewhat flat area, a few leafless trees here and there, and several small bushes sticking out of the ground. Cats that I could hardly remember were all grouped together; they all looked skinny and none of them were smiling. There were several groups that were huddled together as they talked, and there was a tiny freshkill pile in the center.

Seconds later, heads were raised, ears were pricked, and eyes were widened. Crowfeather led us a few taillengths forward, looking around.

"Tawnypelt!" a cat said.

"What are you doing here?"

"Who's _that?"_

"Tawnypelt has escaped from the rogues," the gray tom announced, trying to puff out his chest. "She wanted to make sure we got here safely. Where's Onestar?"

"Here," came the reply, and the small, light brown tom appeared from the throng, stepping forward and his amber eyes sparkling with a bit of surprise. He flicked his tail to silence the curious crowd behind him, which had begun to creep forward to get a closer look.

"Onestar," breathed Tawnypelt, bowing her head. "I'm relieved that WindClan's alright."

"Is it true?" he asked, sitting down across from her. "Did you really escape from the rogues?"

She nodded.

"I was held as a prisoner in ThunderClan's old camp. There are also four survivors- Cloudtail, Whitepaw, Leafpool, and Thornclaw." A few cats murmured to each other, some out of anxiety and some of relief. "I escaped last night. They're probably out looking for me, but I'm glad I made it here."

The leader nodded, his eyes drifting over to me.

"And this is...?"

"Nightfall," muttered Tawnypelt. "She's... a loner."

Eyes were set on me, and I looked away, trying to hide my face a little. Onestar nodded slowly.

"You look familiar," he murmured, studying me. "Have we met?"

"No," I said steadily, though I was actually quite nervous. "I've lived alone my whole life. I only ever knew my mother."

Suddenly, a small, brown cat pushed his way through the crowd, hurriedly making his way to his leader. He stared at me, eyes slightly wide, mouth hanging open. I flinched, slightly; did he know who I was?

Onestar looked at him, flicking his tail. "Barkface, what's..." He drifted off when the cat leaned over, whispering something in his ear. The leader blinked, murmuring, "Really?" I tried as hard as I could to hear what they were talking about, but to no avail.

Barkface nodded frantically, glancing over at me every now and then. Onestar bowed his head slightly, murmuring something under his breath before the other nodded again, backing up and returning to the crowd, his eyes still on me.

I looked at the WindClan leader. "What..."

"Nothing," he said. "Don't worry about it. It's a pleasure to meet you, Nightfall." There was a bit of uncertainty, maybe even distrust, in his voice, but he at least was trying to seem sincere.

"Tawnypelt, you must be tired," a she-cat murmured, taking a step forward. It was a gray she-cat, her features beautifully defined, and although she was as thin as the rest of them, she held her head high and proudly. "Stay with us for as long as you want to. We were all victims of this trauma, and Clans will always come together in times of need."

"Thank you, Ashfoot," she murmured, bowing her head as she stood beside Crowfeather.

The gray she-cat looked over at me, her expression hard. "Nightfall, I hope you don't expect us to trust you, after everything that has happened."

"I don't."

"But if what you say is true, then you are free to stay with us for a while, too. Is that alright, Onestar?"

The tom nodded. "Stay with us for a few days only until you figure out what you are going to do next. I am still trying to rebuild my Clan, understand, and if you want us to trust you, then you'll have to prove that we can."

"I understand," I murmured, flicking an ear uncomfortably.

Onestar nodded again. "Very well. Thank you for coming, Tawnypelt; we appreciate what you did for us. Please get some rest."

The crowd began to disperse, though I caught quite a few glances from WindClanners who were curious about me. I tried to avoid their eye contact, and I didn't attempt to approach anyone. After a minute, Tawnypelt walked up to me, her head hung slightly low as she watched me.

"Well?" she said, her voice quiet. "What are you going to do now? We're here at WindClan. They're safe. I don't understand why exactly you came along with me, but if you're planning something, I _will_ find out."

"I'm not," I said quickly. "I'm no longer part of the band. They don't want me." I shifted my weight; "Ashfoot said that I could stay for a few days. Until I know what to do next, I will." To be honest, I hadn't a _clue_ as to what I'd do. I knew that I had to return to the band, eventually. To prove myself. And to see the few cats that cared about me. But it was much too soon. Besides, Ross said that he'd find me. I didn't know how, but he would. He'd promised, and I believed him.

The tortoiseshell nodded before swiftly turning around, padding away to talk to Crowfeather. I stood alone, up in this unfamiliar place with these unfamiliar cats.

I sighed, and right as I was turning around, something caught my eye. I pricked my ears, seeing that the cat who'd whispered to Onestar- Barkface- was looking right at me, something flashing wildly in his eyes. I bit my lip before quickly turning away. He had to have known something about me. Why else would he have reacted that way? The fact that some cat I didn't know may have known about me, it... Well, to be blunt, it scared me.

A moment later, he turned away, disappearing behind a bush. I let out a short sigh before looking out into the distance. And even surrounded by all these faces, I felt more alone than I ever had in my life.

**I am so tired. I just looked over this so sorry if I missed any mistakes. I just wanted to get it up tonight because I'll be busy tomorrow.**

**Reviewers get a Crowfeather plushie!**

**I love you all. Till next time,**

**Pearl**


	33. Chapter 33: Blur

**Okay so I actually have had this finished for a while and actually tried uploading it on Sunday. However, all of you East Coasters out there will sympathize with me when I say that I've had no internet for the past few days because of Irene. It's true I swear ask my mom.**

**Recap: Nightfall and Tawnypelt journey to the mountains, talking about their families and realizing how similar they are. Back in the ThunderClan camp, Mourn and Ross talk about Nightfall and her exile. Maxwell announces that Tawnypelt has escaped, and Dire assembles search parties as Ross and Mourn quietly watch. In the mountains, the two she-cats soon run into Crowfeather, who happily greets Tawnypelt. He takes them to WindClan, where Onestar thanks her for what she's done, also telling Nightfall that she can stay for a few days. Barkface seems to recognize her, which worries Nightfall. She later sits alone, feeling out of place.**

**Happy last few days of summer ugh.**

Chapter 33

_Blur_

Days passed, and up there in the mountains, it grew colder all the time. I'd been there for a week, and in the course of that week, few cats had talked to me. Tawnypelt would occasionally see how I was doing, but I think she felt as if she _had_ to, not that she wanted to. I helped them hunt, and in a strange, surreal way, it almost felt as if I was a Clan cat again.

At that point, I was hoping that no one had recognized me, though Barkface- who I soon learned was the medicine cat- frightened me, a bit. He never talked to me, but I would see him watching me every now and then, his expression impossible to read. I would attempt a smile before awkwardly turning away, setting my gaze on the landscape in the distance. Onestar seemed to have faintly recognized my face, too, and what if it was only a matter of time before he realized who exactly I was? No, I may not have been in the band anymore, but if they found out that I _had _been, then it wouldn't have ended well.

It was evening; the sun had just set, but there was still the faint glow of twilight over the mountains. Thick clouds were slowly starting to move towards us from the north, hinting at the coming of rain. I had strayed from camp and was wandering through the rocky landscape, ears pricked, trying to find food. I wasn't at all hungry, myself, but it was the only thing that could keep me occupied. Besides, the Clan needed it. And if I was to earn their trust, then I might as well put in some sort of effort.

I leaped up onto a pointed rock emerging from the ground, scraping my way to the top. I stood there, looking out into the darkness of the lands below, not able to see very far. I felt the wind brush against my pelt and face, and I tried to suppress a shiver. A dozen foxlengths away, a hawk swooped past me, crying out as it dipped down in the air, landing on the branch of an old tree. I let myself close my eyes, feeling, for just a moment, as if I was like that hawk, as if I was free and had nothing in the world to worry about.

"What're you doing?" A voice startled me back into reality, my tail puffed out in surprise; I turned around, seeing Crowfeather at the foot of the rock, watching me silently as his blue eyes glittered. I let out a small sigh before I jumped down, landing on my feet beside him.

"I was hunting," I murmured quietly.

He flicked his tail; "That didn't look like hunting." A second passed and a small smile crept onto his lips. "It's okay, I won't tell."

I grinned a little. Me and Crowfeather had actually grown to be a bit closer; not really friends, but acquaintances, maybe. He might not have _completely_ trusted me, but I think he was starting to.

"What're _you_ doing out here?" I asked, flicking my tail. He shrugged.

"Same as you. It's been so hard to find food up here, but the Clan is too weak to find a better place to live. Right now, anyway."

I blinked. "Well, are you planning on staying here? Even when the Clan gets stronger?"

"I don't know," he muttered. "It's up to Onestar, I guess." He opened his mouth, as if to continue speaking, but he hesitantly closed it. I tilted my head slightly.

"Something wrong?"

"No, I..." He trailed off, looking at me curiously, some strange light in his eyes. He looked away. "Can I tell you something, Nightfall? I've had to keep it a secret, but I figured that it's alright to tell you because you're a loner."

I stared at him, almost telling him that I _wasn't_ until I told myself to keep my mouth shut. I nodded gingerly.

He let out a quick sigh, before muttering, "I was in love with a cat I shouldn't have been in love with. And it's over between us, but I still love her. I try to tell myself that I _can't_, but it doesn't help." He narrowed his eyes, some new fire lighting them up. "I thought she was dead, but she's alive. She's a prisoner of the rogues that we told you about."

I felt my heart nearly stop, but I tried to remain calm and keep a straight face. Crowfeather was in love with a ThunderClan prisoner? Faces flashed through my mind, and the only ones who it could have been were Leafpool or Whitepaw. But Leafpool was a medicine cat, and Whitepaw...

"Sorry," he muttered, staring at his paws with a furrowed brow. "I know you don't care. I just felt like getting it off my chest." He began to turn, and after a second, I walked up to him.

"Wait," I said. "I know what it's like. Being in love. At... At least, I think I do. Crowfeather, I... I know you'll see her again." I thought about Ross, wondering if what I'd said would apply to me, too. I quickly shook the thought from my head.

He looked back at me, sorrow glimmering in his eyes. "I don't know if I will." He looked away. "I'm going to get back to hunting. You can do the same." With that, he flicked his tail, shoulders sagging slightly as padded off. I let out a trembling sigh, closing my eyes. I wondered how Whitepaw was doing, anyway. Was she any better? ...Or was she already dead?

Opening my eyes, a small gasp broke from my lips; in the bushes, I could have sworn I'd seen a pair of eyes, watching me. I stared back, and then, a second later, they were gone.

My fur bristling, I ran over to the bush, narrowing my eyes as I tried to see through it. I pushed my way through the sparse leaves, coming out just in time to see a cat disappear behind a boulder several taillengths away. Tail lashing, I bounded over to the rock, quickly turning the corner- and there he was, a brown cat, short tail flicking back and forth. He stopped in his tracks, turning around to look at me.

Barkface.

I pulled my lips back slightly, irritated. "What's going on? Were you watching me?"

"No," he replied. "I was looking for herbs." He gave me that strange look again, the strange look he _always_ gave me. I felt my skin begin to crawl a little.

"What's your deal?" I demanded. "Ever since I got here, you've been giving me these looks. What was it you whispered to Onestar, anyway? I-"

"I know who you are," he said, immediately shutting me up. I stared at him, mouth open slightly. Did he really recognize me? A feeling of dread washed over me, and I didn't know what to do. Did Onestar know, too? What if they _all_ knew, the whole time, and were planning to do something to me? Alright, maybe I was being a bit more paranoid than I had to be, but as he calmly stared at me, I felt scared.

"I..."

"I saw you in a dream," he said quietly, a peculiar ring to his voice. "I knew that you were coming. StarClan showed you to me."

"StarClan?"

He looked as if he had much more to say, but oddly, he stopped there. Was that it, then? He'd seen me in a dream, but hadn't recognized me from the Gathering?

"I think you can save us," he finally said softly. I stared at him, but before I could do or say anything, he straightened up, walking right past me and back through the clump of bushes. He disappeared, leaving me standing there, a bit stunned. A moment passed before I got up, thoughtlessly continuing my hunting.

.d.r.e.a.m.

When I returned to their camp, it was dark, and it had already started to rain. It was only a drizzle, but far in the distance, you could hear the faint cries of thunder. I walked over to the small freshkill pile, a sparrow and a shrew in my jaws. That's all I was able to find. Setting them down, I looked around, noticing as cats slowly made their ways to find shelter beneath barren trees or bushes. Turning around, I suddenly bumped into someone- a black she-cat, amber eyes flashing.

"Watch it," she growled, tail lashing. I narrowed my eyes, pulling my lips back a bit.

"So sorry, Nightcloud," I muttered in response, irritation surging through me. For some reason, though we had barely talked, me and Nightcloud had shown each other that we didn't like the other. Whenever I talked to Crowfeather, she would show up, glaring at me, as if she was _jealous, _or something. And despite her disagreeable behavior, he tried to be nice to her, though I could see something else in his eyes that suggested he didn't like her.

She snorted, opening her mouth to respond when Onestar appeared at our sides, yellow eyes blinking as raindrops clung to his whiskers.

"Is there a problem here, Nightcloud?"

The black she-cat looked up at him, straightening up. "No, Onestar," she said, contempt in her voice before shooting a glare at me. This past week, I'd come to the conclusion that Nightcloud didn't particularly like her leader- why, I didn't know.

"Go fetch some water for Whitetail, and ask Barkface to check on her. It won't be long before her kits are born."

Stiffly, the warrior turned away, skulking off. I watched her before looking up at the WindClan leader.

"So, Nightfall," he said, not looking at me for a moment. "You've been here for a quartermoon, now. What do you plan to do?" I opened my mouth to reply, but he quickly added in, "If you feel as if you need to stay here longer, then that's fine, too. You've actually been a great help these past few days with hunting. Don't feel as if I'm kicking you out, yet."

"Yet?" I muttered under my breath, but I don't think he heard. I sighed, shuffling my paws. "I don't exactly know, right now," I murmured. I wanted to tell him that I _didn't_ plan on staying here forever, that I planned to go back to the band. But I couldn't do that.

He nodded softly. "Well, take your time in deciding. I could never imagine living as a loner like you do." I laughed weakly, nodding.

"...Yeah. It's something."

He smiled faintly, dipping his head a little before straightening up and walking off to talk to Ashfoot. I saw the deputy send me a glance, quickly looking away when she'd seen that I'd noticed. I sighed.

.r.a.i.n.

All through the night, I twisted and turned in my pathetic little nest, trying desperately to fall asleep. It kept happening over and over- I'd begin dozing off, and then something- a thought, or sound, or anything- would jostle me awake. I kept seeing Barkface's figure, his words echoing through my mind. I kept hearing Ross's voice, and I kept recognizing the outline of Dire as he stood atop the Highledge.

It was raining harder out, thunder rumbling every now and then. I'd taken refuge beneath a tiny shrub where no one else had already set up a nest. I lifted my head drowsily, peeking through the leaves to see flashes of lightning. I stumbled to my paws, stepping outside.

I met the rain, not giving much of a care as it began to pelt against my fur. The rock beneath my feet was wet and slippery, and I had to be careful I wouldn't slip.

Gingerly, I walked across the stone flat, glancing around and seeing that everyone else had taken shelter from the storm and were now at least trying to sleep. I stopped near the edge of the cliff, blinking softly as I looked out into the distance. The fog made it nearly impossible to see, but whenever lightning flashed, I could spot, just for a second, far out into the lands beyond here. It was amazing to watch.

A shiver ran down my spine as raindrops fell from my whiskers, my pelt slowly getting soaked. It was cold out, but for some reason, it seemed colder in my nest. Thunder suddenly clapped, louder than before, causing me to flinch.

"You can't sleep, either?"

I jumped, looking over to see that Tawnypelt had walked over and was now standing beside me. She watched the rain, shaking her pelt every now and then but to no avail.

I shook my head. "No."

"I don't like storms," she murmured.

"Then why are you out?"

She shrugged. "I've been awake for hours. I figured I'd stretch my legs."

I nodded.

We sat in silence for a while, watching the storm. The rain grew so loud that it started getting hard to even hear myself think; but it was beautiful, in its own way. Wind swept past us, thunder booming and lightning flaring across the sky in bolts.

Ten minutes passed before the tortoiseshell turned her head to me. "...Do you want to see something?"

I looked at her curiously. "What?"

"It's something that I found, two days ago," she muttered, straightening up and shaking her pelt again. "It's just a few minutes from here."

I smiled a little. "Might as well," I said quietly. "I've no more hope of falling asleep, anyway." She nodded, stretching out before nodding again.

"Follow me."

She led me away from camp, dipping down the mountain slightly as we walked along the stone. We traveled slowly, careful not to slip as we followed beside the wall of a cliff. The rain continued at a hard, steady pace, occasional flashes of lightning illuminating our path. I wondered where exactly she was taking me, but I didn't bother asking.

Soon, she stopped, and began looking around for something. I watched her quietly, shaking one of my wet paws with slight impatience. She then flicked her tail, approaching a small shrub against the wall of the cliff. She looked over at me, nodding me over. I hesitantly followed, and I stopped, looking at her.

"Is this it? A shrub?"

She snorted a little, shaking her head. She lifted a paw, pushing aside a few little branches to reveal, in the stone, a small opening that the bush had been hiding. I stared at it, in awe.

"What is it?"

Flicking her tail again, she crouched down, slowly disappearing into the opening. I stared at where she'd vanished, and I bent down, trying to see through it- but there was only darkness. I glanced around me, taking in a deep breath. I guess I had to trust her. Lowering myself to the ground, I squeezed my way into the hole.

Inside was a tunnel, pitch black with barely enough room for me to fit through. Stone surrounded me everywhere, and I had no idea where I was going. I couldn't see anything, and I felt a small pang of panic.

"Tawnypelt...?"

"Just follow my scent," I heard her say. "It's not far." I swallowed and nodded, inching my way through the passage. I wanted to know what was going on, but I said nothing. I found that the ground was _wet,_ rather than dry, but I'd just assumed it was from Tawnypelt in front of me. The sound of the rain got quieter and quieter, and after what seemed like a lifetime- but was really only a matter of about fifteen seconds- a light began to glow in front of me. I narrowed my eyes, wondering if I was seeing things. The sound of the rain suddenly got louder, and I could hear another boom of thunder. I flattened my ears in confusion.

The space around me began to grow, and in a second, I emerged into a small room-like cave, my eyes widening at the sight.

At the roof of the cave was a small hole, half a taillength wide. Rain poured down into it like a waterfall, creating a small trickle of water that escaped through the tunnel and outside. Directly beneath the opening was a small patch of white and purple flowers that had survived in here, having access to the sun and water. The noise of the rain echoed strangely around me, giving the place an almost serene vibe.

I shook my head slightly, staring at the place in awe. "This is amazing," I murmured, my eyes glued to the rain as it fell into the cave. "How did you find this place, Tawnypelt?"

The she-cat smiled slightly before she shrugged. "I don't know. I was hunting and I just found it."

"It's beautiful," I whispered, slowly walking over to the little patch of flowers- the first flowers I'd seen here in the mountains. They seemed to dance as raindrops hit against them. It made me smile. I turned around, looking over at Tawnypelt, who was watching me. "Why did you show this to _me,_ of all cats?" I asked in a low murmur.

She shrugged, flicking her tail. "I don't know. I thought that maybe seeing this would cheer you up."

"Thanks," I said quietly, looking up at the little piece of sky I could see.

After a while, we slipped back into the tunnel, squeezing our way through until we emerged out into the open, pushing past the shrub that seemed to guard the place. The rain hadn't let up, but I didn't really care.

We began to walk back together, but we didn't get far before the ShadowClanner stopped in her tracks, her fur suddenly sticking up and green eyes narrowing. I paused, looking over at her.

"What's wrong?"

She sent a quick glance at me before she slowly looked around, whispering, "Someone's coming. I don't recognize their scent." I looked at her, and then I could smell it, too. One cat- no, two- were approaching us. But oddly enough, even though _Tawnypelt_ didn't recognize their scents, _I _did.

My eyes suddenly widened, and I stumbled back, quickly looking at the tortoiseshell.

"Tawnypelt, hide. Now."

She looked at me, too confused to have time to move; and then, before any of us could do anything else, two figures appeared from behind a jagged rock a bit further down, stopping when they saw us. They stood together, tall, their tails lashing as their pelts and whiskers dripped with water. In the darkness, their eyes gleamed, something close to shock illuminating their faces.

I recognized them immediately. It was Vivi and Ruby.

A small gasp escaped my lips, and Tawnypelt stood there, her eyes wide, seeming to have recognized them after a few seconds. She narrowed her eyes to slits, unsheathing her claws, a glow in her eyes so fierce that I was slightly taken aback.

"N-Nightfall?" Vivi stammered, always the gentler of the two. "Is that you?"

"What are you doing here?" snarled Ruby, her dark ginger pelt bristling. She seemed to have forgotten about me, however, when she realized just who it was that was standing beside me.

"I-Is that her?" Vivi asked in a not-so-quiet whisper. "The prisoner?"

"It is," growled Ruby, taking a step forward. Tawnypelt snarled loudly, ears flattened. "You've caused some commotion," the rogue continued, approaching her. "Our band's gone through quite a lot of trouble to find you. But Dire wants you back, so that's what's going to happen."

"You'd better think again if you think I'm not going down without a fight," she spat defiantly. "I'm stronger than you."

"Are you?" hissed the rogue. "I suppose we'll just have to test that, won't we?"

Without another word, Ruby suddenly let out a snarl as she began to charge for Tawnypelt. The she-cat quickly leaped to the side, out of the way, but as the rogue was running past, she swatted her paw at one of the ShadowClanner's legs, tripping her up and causing the tortoiseshell to slip onto the wet stone. In one swift motion, Ruby whirled around, leaping onto the cat and pinning her to the ground, but not before delivering a long scratch down her flank.

Tawnypelt screeched out, and I- who had just been standing there, in a daze- quickly ran up to my former band mate, roughly pushing her aside. The she-cat hissed and nearly fell, but she balanced herself and straightened up. She narrowed her eyes to slits as she glared at me, a fiery expression on her face as rain dripped from her orange fur.

"I should have expected that you'd take the side of the _Clan_ cat," she hissed with contempt. "You were _never_ one of us, traitor. _Ever."_

"I'm _not_ a traitor," I growled back, thunder rumbling, the rain so loud it was hard to hear. "I _didn't_ kill Scarlet, and I was _always_ loyal to the band. If it weren't for _me,_ you wouldn't have even gotten to the lake."

"Ross could have done it without you," she muttered, baring her fangs. "He could have done it with one _paw_. He didn't need you, _or_ your stupid brother."

"_Don't_ bring Mourn into this," I growled. "The fact is that Dire chose _him_ for the mission, _not_ you. If he wasn't capable then why would-"

"Your brother could _never_ kill _anyone. _Unlike you."

Without even thinking, I suddenly found that I was racing for this she-cat, claws flexed as I prepared to strike. She saw it coming, so she dodged to the right, but I quickly turned and leaped at her, swiping my claws against her face. She let out a hiss as blood ran from her muzzle, but she swiftly retaliated by running forward, speedily lashing out at my shoulder.

Tawnypelt was slowly lifting herself to her paws, wincing, legs shaking as blood and water ran down her fur. She stumbled backwards, watching us fight. Vivi stood there, kneading the stone uncomfortably. She seemed to be looking around for something- or some_one._

Ruby stepped back, panting as she glared at me. She swiftly lifted her head, calling, "Vivi! Hold the prisoner back!"

The younger rogue looked a bit hesitant, but after a moment, she lunged for the tortoiseshell, knocking her on the ground as they began to fight. While I was distracted, Ruby came up behind me, slashing out at my other shoulder. I hissed in surprise, but before I could do anything, she roughly shoved me to the cold ground, pinning me down. She leaned down, fangs bared, but I sharply kicked into her stomach, causing her to cough and fall backwards. I leaped to my paws, shaking my pelt as my new wounds throbbed. But I ignored them and focused on the she-cat before me.

Her eyes were alight with a burning rage, and she began to run for me again, suddenly leaping to the left. She ran past me, slashing her claws along my flank. I winced and began to turn around, but not before the rogue bit down into my tail. I screeched, but she wouldn't let go; I lifted a paw, quickly striking it against her cheek. She growled as more blood welled up on her face.

Facing each other, I lifted my paw again, preparing another blow, my lips pulled, back, when-

"Nightfall!"

I froze, my paw still hanging in the air as the voice from behind me rang through my ears. I blinked softly, panting, before slowly turning around.

There, several foxlengths away, was the figure of a lean but muscular tom, pelt soaked and dripping with water. Lightning flashed behind him, and just for a second, I could see familiar amber eyes gleaming, and an almost expressionless face.

It was Ross.

My mouth hung open, and my eyes widened slightly. He was here, in the mountains? Had he come with Vivi and Ruby, or had he come alone? I thought, for a moment, that I was seeing things, but I was sure that it was him.

A tiny smile slowly crept onto my face. He was here. He'd found me.

And just as I was taking my very first step towards him, I suddenly felt a searing pain in the back of my neck as claws met with my flesh. I let out a strained gasp, standing completely still as pain pulsed through my veins and through my whole being. My body was in such a shock that I abruptly fell to the ground, hitting hard against the rocks. I felt numb, and I just lay there, my eyes wide as the world around me began to blur. The sound of pounding rain got quieter and quieter, and even the booming thunder seemed so far away, now.

Then, before my eyes, was the face of Ross, eyes shining as he faintly called my name.

And then he was gone.

**I went to the mall today and blew ssoo much money but got ssoo many nice things. Personal blog hi.**

**Reviewers get a Barkface plushie (:**

**peace n love n all that,**

**Pearly**

**This is like the fourth time I've uploaded this it kept messing up I hope it works this time.**


	34. Chapter 34: Desperate

**Okay, I **_**know**_** I haven't updated in weeks. But I've been so busy I can't even. Schoolwork, tutoring, driving, music lessons, work on the weekends, plus I just went through a breakup which are never really **_**easy**_** to deal with. I initiated it though, and I'm okay now. (: Just in case you wanted a scoop on my life lololol.**

**So anyway, I'm sorry for the long wait. But this story's almost finished, so bear with me just a little longer. (:**

**Recap: Nightfall has now spent a week with WindClan, and she wonders what she's going to do. While hunting, Crowfeather confronts her, admitting to her that there's a ThunderClan prisoner that he was once in love with, and still has feelings for. Nightfall wonders who it could be, because all of the choices seem unlikely to her. She later sees Barkface staring at her again, and asks him what his problem is. He tells her that he had seen her in a dream, and he believes that she can save the Clan. Nightfall heads back, and talks to Onestar for a bit. Later, it's night, and it's storming. Nightfall and Tawnypelt decide to go for a walk because they can't sleep. Tawnypelt shows her a secret place- a cave hidden away behind some bushes. Nightfall's in awe. On their way back, they run into Vivi and Ruby, who greet them with aggression (or, at least Ruby does). They argue, and Ruby and Nightfall begin battling. Then, Nightfall hears a voice, and turns to see Ross standing there, his pelt dripping with raindrops. Nightfall suddenly feels a sharp blow to the back of her neck, and she falls unconscious, but not before she sees Ross's gaze before her.**

**long recap lol.**

**Here we go!**

Chapter 34

_Desperate_

In the midst of a beautifully lit forest, lush with life and greenery, sat three she-cats. They were watching soundlessly, looking down at the lands that were once theirs. They said barely a thing, until one, pale gray with green eyes, spoke up.

"...Do you think we did the right thing?" she asked quietly, a question that all of them had been thinking over with mixed emotions. She'd been the first to say it out loud.

"He promised that if we did what he asked of us, then he'd protect the survivors with his life," another spoke up. She had a soft coat of white and ginger, one eye gleaming in the sunlight. A frown fell upon her face. "I was lucky enough to have my family survive. I can't let anything happen to them."

"But he's one of _them,_" another said, her ginger pelt bristling a bit as her green eyes shone. "How can we trust that he'll stay true to his word?"

"What's done is done," came a voice from behind them. The she-cats turned, seeing their old leader walk up to them, orange pelt twinkling with starlight. "The deal has been made. In order to keep the legacy of our Clans going, then we had to take a risk."

"And what if Nightfall finds out?" asked Brightheart softly. The other cats looked at her; this hadn't occurred to them.

"Why would she?" the gray cat meowed; Ferncloud. "She's been exiled from the band."

"You know as well as I do that she's going to return," the other replied quietly. "Soon."

"That doesn't mean she'll find out that we..." Ferncloud didn't continue. She didn't have to. She tilted her head, slightly; "It still seems wrong of us to lie to her like that, though. StarClan isn't supposed to lie."

"These are desperate times for the Clans," Firestar muttered. "We didn't have much of a choice. We just have to trust _him."_ And they all peered down at the Earth below, watching as a black and white tom made his way through the mountain, pelt soaked and eyes gleaming as thunder roared.

.s.t.a.r.s.

When I awoke, it was morning. I couldn't see any sun, but it was light out. It had stopped raining, yet dark clouds still loomed overhead, as if it could start again at any time. In the distance, I heard birds chirp and several cries of hawks as they swooped down to find their breakfast.

I was curled up under a tree, looking around in confusion, It was so different here from night to day, but I recognized the place where I'd fought Ruby only a matter of foxlengths away.

Memories flowed back into my mind. Last night- leaving camp with Tawnypelt and running into the two rogues. And... Hadn't that been Ross, calling my name? Or had I just been delusional? Because when I looked around, I saw that I was alone.

Tawnypelt. What happened to Tawnypelt? I remembered blacking out, but what happened after that? How could she have defended herself against _two_ cats?

I tried to get to my paws, but every muscle in my body ached. I looked over at the wounds on my shoulder and the one one my side- someone seemed to have licked them clean. I still felt a pain at the bottom of the back of my neck, but thank StarClan it hadn't been deep enough to kill me. As I sat there, thinking about it, it reminded me of the vision I'd seen from the eyes of Scarlet. She'd been killed in the same way. I was lucky that Ruby's blow hadn't been strong enough.

Still, I felt tired and weak, and I didn't know what I should do. Go back to WindClan, I suppose, and see if Tawnypelt was alright. But what if she wasn't? What if they'd taken her back to the band? How would I explain that to the Clan?

Then, I heard a rustle in the bushes nearby. I pricked my ears, looking over; whatever it was, I was too weak to fight it, if I had to. Shakily, I managed to lift myself to my paws, though my body throbbed in protest.

And then, emerging from the bushes... was _him._ Black and white fur ruffled messily, amber eyes dull with fatigue, and two mice hanging from his jaws. It was Ross.

My eyes widened, slightly; so he really _had_ been there, last night. I hadn't been hallucinating. But what exactly was going on? He'd be able to tell me, right?

"Ross?" I called softly, not wanting to strain my voice. He flicked his tail slightly, approaching me beneath the bare tree, setting the prey down at my feet. I glanced at them before looking at him in confusion. "Ross, what's going on? Why are you here? What happened to Tawnypelt? I-"

"Calm down," he murmured, sitting down across from me. "Don't get worked up. You're weak from your fight. Just eat, and then I'll explain everything."

I nodded wearily, leaning down to take a bite, and he did the same with his. It was delicious.

When we were finished, I licked my lips, pushing the remains of the mouse away. I looked at him, frowning.

"Ross..."

"Dire sent me, Vivi, and Ruby off to find Tawnypelt. I didn't think that we would actually find her. But I thought that maybe it..." He broke off, and I stared at him, urging him to continue.

"Maybe it...?"

"I thought it would give me a chance to find you. And I was right." I smiled slightly, looking down at my paws. Without looking back up, I asked quietly, "So what happened to her?"

"After you fell unconscious, she couldn't fight them both off. They decided to take her back to the band. I told them that I'd follow after them after I made sure you were alright."

"You didn't have to do that," I mumbled. "You-"

"No, stop," he said. "I wanted to. I felt that you were my responsibility. Ruby would have left you there to die, if she could." It hurt a bit, knowing how much my old band mates really hated me, now. But I shook my head, trying not to let it get to me.

"So they left," I said simply. "They're gone."

"Yeah."

I nodded quietly, staring out blankly into the distance.

"...WindClan's here," I murmured. "They've been in the mountains for days, now."

Ross pricked his ears, eying me. "They're here? Have you been living with them?"

I nodded again. "Yeah. They aren't far from here. I... wonder if they've noticed Tawnypelt's absence."

"Is there a medicine cat there?" he asked. "You're still weak, and there wasn't much I could do to help with your wounds. They have to be stopped from getting worse."

"Yeah," I said quietly, the strange brown tom appearing in my mind. "Barkface."

"You should stay here," he said, getting to his paws. "You're still hurt-"

"I can come with you," I replied. "You're making my injuries sound worse than they are." Grunting, I heaved myself to my paws, flicking my tail. "Besides, I need to explain to them what happened to Tawnypelt. They might not believe me, but I don't care."

The tom looked hesitant, but after a moment, he nodded.

"Fine. Let's go."

We began to weave our way along the rocky mountain path, the earth uneven beneath our paws and still slippery from the rain. I leaned on him slightly for support, finding that with every step I took, my muscles cried, a little. But I didn't complain. Ross could tell that I was hurt, but I was sort of glad that he didn't comment on it.

I was worried. For Tawnypelt, Ross, _and_ me. How would I introduce the black and white rogue? How would I explain what had happened to the she-cat? I tried not to think about it too much, but it was hard.

It wasn't long until I noticed the usual landmarks that stood near their makeshift camp. The scents of many cats wafted past, and I swallowed, my eyes shining.

Step by step, we entered the camp, stopping in our tracks as we glanced around. Cats were just waking up, some eating breakfast or sleepily grooming themselves. It took only a matter of seconds before they started lifting their heads to look at us, one by one. They gazed restlessly at Ross, growing uneasy.

"Who're you?" a voice called out; it was Nightcloud. I gritted my teeth, and then I pricked my ears when I saw Onestar hurriedly approaching, Ashfoot and Barkface by his side.

"Nightfall," the leader said as cats around us began to creep forward for a better look. "What's going on? Who is this? And where is Tawnypelt?"

"Weaselfur said that he saw you leave camp with her last night," Ashfoot said, a dark glimmer in her eyes. "Is this true?"

"Yes," I murmured. "I-"

"You're hurt," Barkface said, quickly approaching me. He scanned my body, sniffing my wounds as I stood there awkwardly. He stepped back. "I need to treat these right away. Please stay here." With that, he turned and scampered over to his den.

"You've been fighting?" Onestar said. Confusion and a bit of distrust danced across his face. "What exactly happened last night? Tell me, now."

"I went for a walk with Tawnypelt because we couldn't get to sleep," I explained quickly, growing tense as cats all around watched me. "We... ran into some rogues. Ones from the band. They wanted to take her. I tried to defend her, but they knocked me unconscious."

"And who is this?" demanded the leader, staring at Ross, who gazed quietly back.

"His name is Ross," I said quietly. "He stayed with me after the fight and helped clean my wounds-"

"Wait," came the scratchy voice of Nightcloud, eyes narrowed to slits as she took a step forward. "If you're a loner, then how did you know those rogues were from the band?"

I looked over at her, my heart nearly stopping for a moment. Had I really let my secret identity slip that easily? I swallowed.

"They told me so."

There was an uncomfortable silence for a few seconds before Onestar said, "And this tom is from the band?"

I glanced over at Ross; he quickly said, "No. I've lived nearby in this mountain my whole life."

Before anyone could respond, Barkface came back, bundles of herbs in his jaws. He put them down and looked back and forth at me and Ross, a meaningful look in his eyes, before he began to attend to my wounds. He chewed some herbs up, and I winced as he rubbed a poultice against my skin.

Onestar watched for a moment before he turned his head around, looking about at his Clan.

"We need to go back and rescue Tawnypelt."

I was so surprised that I let out a gasp, staring at him in shock. And I wasn't the only one who reacted this way, either. Cats from all around began to murmur frantically to each other, shooting glances at their leader with skepticism, flashes of fear shooting past their eyes. I opened my mouth to speak, but Ashfoot quickly beat me to it.

"Onestar, what are you talking about?" she asked him in a low mutter, intended only for him, but it was loud enough for me to hear it. I could sense unease in her voice, which was rare for her. "Isn't that a little _rash?"_

"Are you _crazy?_" hissed another, and I turned to see Nightcloud, shaking her head fiercely. "We can't go back! It's _safe_ here! Are we really going to put that all at risk for the sake of _one_ cat, a _ShadowClan_ cat nonetheless? What if we all _die_ trying to save her?"

"Nightcloud is right!" called Whitetail anxiously, who had come out of the temporary nursery to see what was going on. "It's true that we owe our lives to her, but don't you remember what she said? ShadowClan _and_ RiverClan had been fighting against the band, and they were _still_ losing!" She lowered her head, closing her eyes. "Going back would... it would be like suicide." A few cats yowled in agreement, their voices all filled with worry.

"We have to stay here!"

"We're putting the whole Clan at risk!"

"We can't-"

"_Silence!"_ yelled Onestar, looking around with narrowed eyes as his tail twitched back and forth. "We have an _obligation._ We _have_ to save her; it is StarClan's will that we do so, for without her, we could all be _dead."_

"Onestar," I breathed desperately, "there are too many of them. WindClan will _never_ be able to fight them all. You have to believe me."

There was a peculiar silence suddenly hanging in the air, and I swallowed. Had I said something wrong? Ross tried to catch my gaze, but I ignored it as I bit my lip. The leader turned to me, eyes flashing.

"You sure seem to know quite a lot about this band of rogues," he said slowly, the suspicion in his voice blatantly obvious. "How could you possibly know how many of them there are?"

Barkface stepped back, apparently done with whatever he was doing. He looked at me quietly, as if he was trying to tell me something, but with no words.

Nightcloud hastily joined in, pulling her lips back slightly. "Are you really a loner?" Her words were apparently sinking in as cats curiously turned their gazes to me.

"Wait," came a voice before I could do anything. I turned to see that it was Crowfeather. I looked at him, speechless as I wondered what he was up to. "Tawnypelt was a prisoner of the band. If Nightfall _were_ one of them, then she would know. But she told us that she's a loner. Why would she want to protect a rogue who'd destroyed her home?" I tried to hide my smile. It felt nice to have someone on my side, for once.

"You make a good point," Onestar said, to the clear dismay of Nightcloud. He turned to me. "Perhaps you'd heard about them from Tawnypelt?"

I nodded stiffly. "Y-yes. I did. I'm sorry for being unclear and causing any suspicion."

I knew that I had _not_ eased the suspicion of many, but it was still a close save. I sent a thankful glance to Crowfeather. Of course, if the tom had known the _truth_, then I doubt he would have protected me. But I was still grateful.

"However, regardless of who you are, our Clan still has an obligation," Onestar muttered. "WindClan owes its _life_ to Tawnypelt, and so we have to rescue her, one way or another."

"Onestar, she told me about them," I said desperately. "About the band. She said it was _twice_ as big as your Clan. You can't-"

"With all due respect, Nightfall, you will _not_ tell me how to lead my Clan. I have faith and I know that StarClan is guiding us. We won't fall so easily."

"But she's _right,_ Onestar," said Crowfeather, staying at my side. "So is the rest of the Clan. _You're_ the only one who doesn't see the real danger of doing this!"

The leader narrowed his eyes; "How dare-"

"I'm good friends with Tawnypelt," he continued quickly. "But even I acknowledge that there's no way we aren't going to come out of this mess in one piece. If we have _any_ hope for keeping our Clan alive, then we _have_ to stay here."

Cats all around were nodding in agreement, mumbling similar statements beneath their breath. Onestar looked around at his Clan, turning his head several times. His mouth was open slightly, as if in disbelief that his idea seemed so unpopular. But there was something else that I could sense from him- something like desperation. He was _desperate_ to do something- _anything-_ to prove to his Clan that they were strong. But he didn't even realize the danger he would be putting them in. There would only be a few, if any, that would survive. And all for one cat? Was he even thinking clearly?

"No," rasped Onestar. "We can't let this go on! The ThunderClan survivors will fight by our side... We-"

"Onestar, stop," breathed Ashfoot pleadingly. "We can't do this. We just can't."

The tom's eyes widened, looking as if he were in a state of shock. There was a complete, uncomfortable silence as he looked around for someone, anyone, who would speak out to agree with him. No one did.

He let out a low, sudden growl before he pulled back his lips, showing his teeth... but he didn't say anything. He simply turned, stalking off into the small opening between two rocks that he had made his den.

And it wasn't the dead of night that Ashfoot loudly announced with a shriek that their leader had disappeared.

**Yeah, I know, kinda short and boring. But next chapter's gonna be intense, I promise!**

**Reviewers get an... Ashfoot plushie?**

**TTFN,**

**Pearl**


	35. Chapter 35: Scared

**Sup.**

**Recap: Brightheart, Ferncloud, Firestar, and Squirrelflight talk about something they did because they were desperate to keep the legacy of the Clans alive. They look down at the Earth and watch as Ross ascends the mountain. Later, Nightfall wakes up, sore from her fight. Ross comes over with breakfast, and she asks him what happened. He says that Vivi and Ruby took Tawnypelt back to the band and that he stayed there with her to make sure she'd be alright. Nightfall tells him that WindClan is nearby and they make their way to their camp. The two are greeted with suspicion, but Nightfall tells them what happened to Tawnypelt, and she introduces Ross as a loner who's been living in the mountains his whole life. Onestar believes that they need to go rescue Tawnypelt, as WindClan owes its life to her, but everyone protests and says it's too dangerous. Irritated, Onestar stalks off, only to be found missing later in the night.**

Chapter 35

_Scared_

Within two minutes, everyone had been startled awake, their eyes wide with fear and anxiety as they all wildly looked about, conversing with each other in disbelief. I remember that I'd been curled up beside Ross, sleeping beneath a tree when the deputy's yowl had suddenly awoke us.

Exchanging a quick glance with the tom, I leapt to my paws, shaking my fur. It was dark and cloudy and hard to make out any specific shapes, but eyes were flashing all around me as the air filled with confusion.

I ran over to Ashfoot, wincing slightly from my wounds, Ross right behind me. Nightcloud was already talking with her, the black she-cat's eyes narrowed to slits and her fur puffed out.

"What's going on?" she demanded. "Are you _sure_ he's gone? Maybe he went to go make dirt?"

"I told you, he's _gone,_" Ashfoot hissed, apparently having lost patience with the warrior. "About an hour ago, I saw him leave. I didn't think it was strange, but when he didn't come back, I began to worry. I followed his scent for quite a ways until I realized that he was heading down the mountain, straight towards the lake."

"Oh, StarClan," breathed the old elder, Morningflower, her thin, frail body trembling slightly. "Onestar went back to challenge the rogues!"

"Idiot," murmured Tornear, shaking his head. "What does he think he's _doing?_ He's going to be killed!"

"How dare you talk about your leader like that," snapped Ashfoot, irritated. She quickly turned away, looking about as everyone began to crowd around, confused and scared.

"What are we going to _do?"_ called out Whitetail.

"We can't possibly go back!"

"What if-"

"Silence!" ordered the deputy, lashing her tail. "We all need to calm down-"

"Says the one who just shrieked as if she was being murdered," muttered Tornear, obviously not completely to himself. Ashfoot pulled back her lips.

"I was in a shock," she hissed, eyes flashing. "Now keep _quiet."_ She looked about, brow furrowed in concentration. "We can't all go after him," she said. "We're not prepared. I will arrange a small group to lead down towards the lake. The purpose of this is to catch up with Onestar before he gets to the band, _not_ to initiate a fight with the rogues. We need to move quickly, because he could very well be on his way as we speak." She scanned the crowd, which was beginning to quiet down, a bit. She held up her head and lashed her tail; "Crowfeather, you will come with me, and-"

"Me and Nightfall will go," a low voice beside me suddenly said; Ross. I looked at him quickly; what was he doing? He caught my gaze, and his eyes gleamed.

Ashfoot turned to him, obviously hesitant. "Why should you two go?" she challenged. "The matter is hardly any concern of yours."

"...In case we _do_ get to the band," I murmured, "I want to be there for Tawnypelt. She's shown me this place and convinced Onestar to take me in. I'm grateful to her for what she's done and I will be prepared to fight for her if I need to." I wasn't exactly sure what I was saying when it suddenly hit me. We were going to the band. And it was Ross's intention all along. I felt my heart skip a beat before pricking my ears, looking at the deputy and partially hoping that she'd refuse.

She didn't.

"Very well," she murmured. "In that case, Crowfeather, Nightfall, and Ross will accompany me. While I'd prefer it that Barkface come with me, he needs to stay here in case of an emergency, being our only medicine cat." The medicine cat bowed his head a bit, flicking his stubby tail. "Webfoot, I trust you to take care of the Clan until we're back. If all goes well, then we won't have to even step foot into the territory of that accursed band." A few cats nodded, murmuring in agreement. I glanced over at Crowfeather, who was standing several taillengths away; his eyes were suddenly gleaming intensely, and it occurred to me that this might end up being a chance that he'd see the she-cat he was in love with. The ThunderClan prisoner.

"Now, then," called Ashfoot. "We have to go, _now._ And we must move _quickly_ if we hope to catch up with Onestar." She spoke a few words to Webfoot and Barkface, and after a moment, she flicked her tail; "Let's go."

Without another the word, the deputy swiftly turned and began briskly trotting out of camp. Me and Ross glanced at each other, and I looked over at Crowfeather. He had a small frown on his face as he stared at me, and I could tell just what it was he was thinking. I smiled faintly.

We began chasing after Ashfoot down the rocky path, darkness all around us. The clouds had actually begun to thin and float away, and the moon was now shining brightly, providing us with a dull silver glow. When I looked out into the distance, I could faintly see the lands beyond this mountain- I could even see a tiny glimpse of the lake, I thought.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" came a soft voice beside me; I turned to see Ross. He came up right against me, our pelts brushing together and our faces close as I looked at him. "Are you still sore?"

I snorted lightly. "You were the one who signed me up for this," I pointed out. "Why are you so eager to go back to the band?"

"I'm doing it for you," he murmured, looking in front of him as we quickly trotted down the jagged stones. "You were bound to go back to the band at some point. Maybe it will be a bit easier if I'm here."

"Don't flatter yourself," I muttered, but I quickly grinned to let him know I was joking. "You're right, though. As much part of me never wants to go back again, I know I have to. I need to set things straight with Dire."

Ross didn't reply. He had a small frown on his face, now, and he wasn't looking at me. I blinked, nudging him lightly.

"Ross?"

"Nothing," he quickly muttered. "And anyway, I need to go back, too. I... need to take care of the prisoners."

I looked at him curiously. "The ThunderClan prisoners? And Tawnypelt? Why are you suddenly so interested in protecting them?"

He seemed hesitant to answer the question, but finally mumbled, "I know how important they all are to you. I felt that I should help them." I looked at him, honestly not able to tell if he was telling the truth. But I didn't question him. He glanced at me and smiled slightly. I smiled back, licking his cheek before dashing off in front of him to catch up with Crowfeather. Ross followed close behind.

.r.o.s.s.

In the midst of the forest, in the darkness and through the trees, was a cat. Standing tall, dark brown fur groomed neatly, his narrowed amber eyes blinked slowly as he contemplated. He was alone in a clearing, small patches of dirt surrounding him and little bundles of flowers laying here and there.

The burial grounds.

He was standing at the foot of one particular grave, and the cat laying beneath the dirt here had certainly caused an uproar recently. The tom flicked his tail as he thought about this cat, and this cat's death. The death that had led to the exile of one that had once been his own. Not anymore, though. No, not anymore.

He hadn't been wrong in his decision. She hadn't been loyal to the band. Not the cat that was resting in the ground, but the one that had been exiled. Night... No. He didn't even want to say her name. What good was it, uttering that word? She was gone now. And just as well. She'd turned into one of _them._ One of the invaders who had taken over the lake.

No, perhaps she hadn't been the one that had killed the cat laying beneath his very paws. But she could have very well been, after everything that had happened as of late. She had _protected_ the survivors of the battle, the ones that _he_ had intended to dispose of. What good were they, anyway? And why were they still here? Their little savior was long since gone.

But anyway, everyone had believed him when he'd announced that it had been her who had sliced that poor she-cat's throat. If they were that ready and willing to jump on a cat like that, even without any definite proof that it _had _been her, then that really said something about their attitude towards her, didn't it? She was never the most... popular in the group. Or perhaps it had just been his own influence that made them agree with him so readily? Either way, it didn't matter.

And what about Ross? His very own brother, so near and dear to him as brothers always should be? He'd been acting quite stupid that day as to speak out against him like that. "Nightfall didn't kill Scarlet." That's what he said. It was only when the dark brown tabby had asked him who _did_ kill her that he shut up. Just like a good deputy. He was about to spill the leader's secret, and that wouldn't do. Though the band probably wouldn't have believed him anyway, it still would have been rather annoying.

The tabby tom lashed his tail, lifting his head and looking straight out into the darkness. With a flick of his ear, he said loudly, "I know you're there in the bushes. Come out."

After a few moments, there was a rustle in the undergrowth behind him, and out of the bracken stepped a white tom with a long tail and one black paw. He was hanging his head and looking down, his amber eyes blinking slowly.

The leader turned around to face him, whiskers twitching in slight irritation. "What are you doing out here, Mourn?" he demanded. "Are you by yourself?"

"I was taking a walk, Dire," Mourn replied, his voice rather empty and emotionless. His shoulders and tail were drooping tiredly. He lifted his head to look at the other tom.

Dire had certainly noticed a change in this tom ever since his sister had been banished. He never smiled anymore, and not even his pretty mate could do much to make him feel better. Dire had noticed something else about him, too- he wasn't as scared and timid as he used to be. He would stand up for himself and wouldn't be intimidated by others, anymore- even him. It was as if he just didn't care at all.

The white tom flicked his tail, glancing around. "What are you doing in the burial grounds?"

"That's none of your concern," Dire replied swiftly, not moving an inch.

"That's Scarlet's grave you're standing at."

"So it is," muttered the leader, and he added sarcastically, "I commend you for your observation skills."

"You may have the rest of the band fooled," began Mourn, narrowing his eyes, "but not me. _I_ know that it wasn't Nightfall who killed Scarlet. _I_ know the truth."

"Do you, now?" challenged the other, growing annoyed.

"Yes," replied the tom. "And so does Ross. I can't believe you would exile an innocent cat for your _own_ crime-"

"_My_ crime?" echoed Dire, raising an eyebrow. A small smirk formed on his face, intrigued. In a slightly mocking tone, he cooed, "You don't think the one responsible for poor Scarlet's death is _me,_ do you? Ah, you're _quite _wrong."

Mourn was glaring at him, pulling his lips back, slightly- something that he never used to do to anyone. But he didn't do anything. He didn't even say anything. He just turned around, stalking off into the darkness, tail lashing until he disappeared.

Dire watched him go with little interest. He knew that the tom didn't believe him when he said he wasn't responsible for Scarlet's death, but he didn't really care.

And anyway, he was really only _half_ lying.

.d.i.r.e.

"We're still on his trail," Ashfoot called back to us. "I can detect his scent."

"Why haven't we found him yet?" demanded Crowfeather uneasily. "We've been out here for hours."

Indeed, hours had passed since we had begun our descend down the mountain, and we were now trekking through the dense forest that I'd been through with Tawnypelt days earlier. The night had carried on, and it would only be an hour or two before the very first signs of sunrise. We still hadn't found Onestar, which obviously was upsetting Ashfoot, who didn't think it would take this long. There was a strange mixture of fear and excitement in the pit of my stomach, and just knowing of the possibility that we were going back to the band made my heart beat wildly. I had no idea what was going to happen with Dire, and I had no idea how well or badly it would all end. I'd just have to wait and find out.

I'd noticed that Ross had been unusually quiet- well, actually, maybe quiet was normal for him, but he was being even _more_ quiet than normal. He had a small frown on his face, a strange look in his eyes. He kept looking at me, as if he wanted to tell me something, but he never did, and whenever I asked him if anything was wrong, he insisted he was fine. I tried not to think about it too much.

"StarClan, I can't believe Onestar actually took off like that," Crowfeather muttered. "He could be killed-"

"Which is why we need to hurry up," Ashfoot quickly cut in. "Come on, everyone, let's move faster." She raised her speed, and we followed after, dashing through the undergrowth and past the trees, owls hooting around us. It was hard to see, and I almost tripped several times. I prayed that Ashfoot knew where she was going, because though I'd been here before, it was still difficult to navigate in the darkness.

I ran alongside Ross, and the WindClan tom was beside him. He kept looking at the rogue curiously, and finally said, "So, you've lived in the mountain your whole life?" I could sense some doubt in his voice, and I glanced over at them, saying nothing.

"Yes," he murmured. "I lived with my mother, but she became ill. I cared for her until she passed away."

I raised an eyebrow, but he avoided my gaze.

"I've lived alone ever since," he continued. "I've been doing fine."

"I see," Crowfeather said, tilting his head slightly. "You and Nightfall seem to know each other..."

"We only just met last night," I said nonchalantly as we ran after the frenzied deputy. I began to recognize the area, and I realized that we would be out of the woods soon and in the fields. "He helped me after the rogues attacked me and Tawnypelt. I... I owe him a lot."

Ross glanced over at me with these words, and I smiled, slightly shy before looking ahead.

Only a few moments passed until we suddenly broke out into the open, and all of us paused for a moment, panting and trying to catch our breaths. We were standing at the top of a hill. The moors stretched out before us, a marvelous silver light glowing in the air as we spotted the season's last fireflies buzzing around. It was beautiful. Not terribly far off I could finally see the lake, the moon reflecting brightly off of it, and the forests nearby. Looking far over to the right, I recognized the small hollow where the Moonpool was, and when I looked to the left, I saw that there was a barn in the distance.

"StarClan," Crowfeather panted. "Did Onestar _sprint_ here?"

"He _did_ have an hour head start," Ashfoot pointed out quietly. She a strange facial expression- she looked completely depressed, but also incredibly happy at the same time. I blinked, and it then occurred to me that this was the first time she'd been to the moors since they left. "There could be rogues around here," she murmured beneath her breath. "We're entering WindClan territory. We need to be careful, because none of us know what's ahead."

I swallowed before nodding briskly. This was it. We were almost there.

"You two go ahead," Ross muttered suddenly. "I need to talk to Nightfall about something. We'll catch up in just a minute." All three of us looked at him with curious faces, but the WindClanners nodded.

"Fine," Ashfoot meowed. "But we have to _hurry._ So make it quick." Flicking her tail to Crowfeather, she started bounding off into the tall grass. Crowfeather shot me a confused look before following after her.

I watched them go before hesitantly turning to my companion.

"Ross?" I asked quietly. "What is it? Is there something wrong?"

He turned his back to me, slowly taking a few steps away. He bent his head slightly. I looked at him, growing concerned.

"Ross-"

"I just wanted to tell you something," he murmured, so quietly I could barely hear him. I blinked softly and bounded up beside him, nudging him lightly on the shoulder. He looked down at me, a delicate frown on his face, his amber eyes glowing.

"What is it?" I asked.

He let out a quick sigh before looking up at the sky. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for everything I've put you through. You deserved better than the way I treated you for most of the time we've known each other."

"Ross, it's fine," I murmured, looking at my paws, for some reason feeling a twinge of disappointment.

But he continued.

"You're important to me. And honestly, during the last few days before you left, you were the only thing keeping me there at all. I used to be so obsessed about being like Dire and following his orders and making sure that the band was prosperous and that we got back at the Clans that took the lake from us. It's ironic," he muttered, closing his eyes and lowering his head. "You know, our band originated from the Clans. Back when they had just been formed."

"StarClan told me the same thing," I whispered. I shook my head, looking at him. "Ross, don't be so hard on yourself. You've changed."

"I wouldn't have if you hadn't been there," he muttered. "I was heading towards a place that I wouldn't have been able to get out of." Finally he lifted his head to look at me. I smiled a bit. Then, he said, "I just want you to know, that if anything happens, I won't forget you. Or what you've done for me. ...Thank you."

"You're saying that as if you're about to die," I said quietly, moving in closer beside him. I flicked my tail, and when I felt it on top of his, I kept it there.

He looked out into the distance, eyes half-closed as he twined his tail with mine. I felt my ears burn just a little. I looked at him, waiting for his response.

"I..." he began before breaking off. He let out a sigh before he got to his paws, pulling his tail away and taking a step forward. I frowned, but I stayed where I was, growing almost scared by the way he was acting. There was something wrong, but he was afraid to tell me. "...There's... There's something that I did," he muttered, ear flicking. He kept looking straight ahead, not turning back to look at me. "Something I haven't told you about." He hesitated. "Something horrible. And... and the guilt has been eating me alive ever since, because I know it's something that I can never fix."

"Ross," I breathed, running up to him. "What's going on? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I can't," he said, his voice close to a growl- though I know that he didn't mean to be aggressive. "Not right now. But... I can almost guarantee that you'll find out about it soon. And when you do, you'll probably hate me."

He turned around to face me, his eyes shining with intense emotion and sorrow. "But before you do, just know that you mean so much to me."

I stared at him, not even realizing that my legs were actually trembling. I didn't know what to do. Part of me felt happy by his words. I knew that he cared about me. But what he said also scared me. It scared me because _he_ was scared to tell me what happened.

"Ross," I murmured, shaking my head softly. "I could never hate you. So don't say that." I walked up to him, burying my face against his fur. He nuzzled his nose against my cheek, but I could still feel that he was in pain. And I didn't know what I could do about it. So we just stayed that way for a minute, pulling ourselves closer to each other as we uttered not a word.

Soon, we were running side by side, calling out to Crowfeather and Ashfoot, who weren't too far ahead of us. They stopped, and they flicked their tails impatiently.

And a few minutes later, we took our first steps into ThunderClan territory. All of us were silent; none of us even wanted to talk. Though it had only been a little over a week since I'd been here, it felt like months. Ashfoot swallowed nervously, but she narrowed her eyes and tried to look confident. Crowfeather and I exchanged glances, and I nodded to him. He nodded back.

We saw no one as we wove our way through the trees. My heart was pounding with each step I took, but soon, I felt as Ross comfortingly twined his tail with mine, saying nothing. I managed a tiny grin.

And when we were finally standing in front of the bramble entrance of the stony camp, I briefly leaned against him, clenching my eyes shut for just a second before we walked inside.

**Hoooo, so, lots to say! First of all, uh, I know I promised that this chapter would be intense, and uh, maybe it was a teeeny bit BUT, the next episode will pretty much just be an explosion of drama. I double-promise this time. (;**

**Yeah, at the end there they basically just teleported through ThunderClan's woods in like three seconds, but honestly I don't think anyone would have wanted to read about their whole ordeal of silently walking through the woods until they get to the camp. So yeah.**

**Dire's bit was really fun to write, here, by the way. (: I sort of love him in a detestable I-hate-your-guts way? But only kind of.**

**So, guys, guess what? There are only two chapters left of the story. Deux. Chapitres. Or, that's the plan, anyway. Things may or may not turn out that way.**

**Reviewers uh, get a uh, Nightcloud plushie?**

**One more thing, I have a new Warriors multi-chapter story up called The Sound of Snow, I would lovelovelove it if you were to check it out. :) **

**I love you all so much. Hang in there, because we're so close to being done.**

**Till next time,**

**Pearly (:**


	36. Chapter 36: Butterflies

**I literally sat on my ass for so long writing this today. My hand literally got a cramp afterwards. I'm literally saying literally way too much. Hi.**

**Recap: Ashfoot announces to WindClan that Onestar has disappeared, and she worries that he went back to the ThunderClan camp to challenge the rogues. She decides to go after him, along with Crowfeather, Nightfall, and Ross. Earlier in the night, Dire stands at the burial grounds near the band's camp, thinking about Nightfall and her exile and Scarlet's death. Mourn approaches him, telling him that he knows his sister didn't kill Scarlet. Later, the four cats get to WindClan's camp, where Nightfall and Ross talk. He tells her that he really cares about her, and that there's something he's done that he's been afraid to tell her about, but she'll learn soon. The four cats continue into the woods and enter the ThunderClan slash rogue camp.**

**So, this is the second-to-last chapter. I'm not gonna say much at the end, but, yeah. Tell me what you think, or not, either way. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. (: I'm so tired I'm going to bed once this is up.**

Chapter 36

_Butterflies_

We could hear voices inside, loud and riled up. Something was going on. And then, one voice stuck out to us- it was Onestar. He was in there, right then. And he was alive. All four of us heard him, but we said nothing to each other.

Ashfoot looked at the three of us quickly before giving a brief nod. Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside the small opening, slipping into camp. Crowfeather, body still and tail sticking up, rigidly followed after her. Ross and I looked at each other, and he quickly pressed his muzzle to mine before he nodded. I stepped through the entrance, and he followed right behind.

All of us stopped the moment we were inside, right at the top of the stony slope. I swallowed, beginning to feel slightly dizzy. Through the darkness, I tried to figure out what was going on- and then, my eyes were drawn to the center of the camp. Cats were crowded together, situated in a circle around two cats. I squinted, trying to tell who-

"Onestar and Dire," whispered Ross into my ear. My eyes widened as I watched. What was going on?

"I'm surprised you came all this way by yourself," Dire was saying, tail lashing, a small smirk on his face. "What did your Clan do, abandon you? But honestly, what did you plan to achieve, here?"

"Release the prisoners," the WindClanner demanded in a low voice. "What use do you have for them, anyway?"

"I don't have one," Dire responded smoothly. "Which is why I planned to kill them."

"_No!"_ came a sudden blood-curdling scream, and I flinched, wincing as I looked over at Crowfeather. He'd been the one who'd yelled out, and his eyes were now wide as he looked frantically around.

All eyes rose up to us, and I swear my heart stopped. I could tell that at first, no one recognized us, but then, one by one, eyes began to widen as they began to realize who I was.

"Nightfall," breathed a voice. "Is that you?" I looked down, letting out a small gasp when I saw Mourn looking up at me from the crowd, his eyes huge in disbelief. Beside him stood Sapphire and Badger, who were both looking at me wordlessly, and the silver she-cat's mouth was agape.

"Mourn," I whispered, taking a small step forward, but I was quickly interrupted.

"You're back, I see," Dire commented without much interest, whiskers twitching. "That wasn't long at all."

"Ashfoot, Crowfeather," Onestar said, stepping forward. "What's going on? Did you follow me here? Why are those two with you?"

Cats all around were immediately beginning to chatter feverishly, half of them staring and hissing at me and asking each other what on Earth I was doing here and the other half demanding just who these two newcomers were. Dire narrowed his eyes and lashed his tail, his gaze setting on his brother.

"Ross, I see you're back, too," he said evenly, though there was a hint of growl in his voice. "How curious it is that it takes you a day longer to return than Vivi and Ruby, and when you _do_ come back, you have the traitor with you."

"Tawnypelt," I breathed, scanning the clearing. "What did you do to Tawnypelt?"

The chuckled quietly, shaking his head softly. "Don't worry, she's fine. For now." He then began to move through the throng of cats until he reached the foot of the Highledge and swiftly trotted up to the top. Straightening himself out, he sat down, where he could look over the whole band.

Onestar, still standing at the bottom in the midst of the rogues, narrowed his eyes, ears flattened against his head.

"How dare you stand there," he hissed, fur fluffed out. "The Highledge is meant for _ThunderClan_ leaders."

"Well, then," Dire replied nonchalantly, "it's a good thing I changed that." His whiskers twitched, a small, smug smile on his face as he looked around. "Maxwell, bring the prisoners out here. All of them." For some reason, the moment he finished saying that, he looked up at me, his amber eyes glowing intensely. "I don't know why you decided to come back, Nightfall, or what you plan to do. But first, I thought that you could say hello to your Clan friends, one last time."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I growled slowly, though his words made me wary. Dire just smirked at me, saying nothing.

A moment later, I looked down to see as, one by one, each cat was brought out- Whitepaw, Cloudtail, Leafpool, Tawnypelt... and Thornclaw. The apprentice was being carried on Maxwell's back, still unconscious but still alive. Her father followed directly behind her, and his eyes didn't leave her. The medicine cat's head was held high, her eyes narrowed as she looked at the rogues around her. Tawnypelt presented herself in a similar manner, but when she looked up to see us, she paused, blinking in surprise. And when Thornclaw emerged from the den, he hung is head slightly before lifting his gaze to look at me. I opened my mouth slightly, and we stared at each other for a few seconds before he looked away, lowering his head. I frowned.

Beside me, I saw that Crowfeather's tail was sticking up into the air, and he suddenly started stumbling forwards, his eyes wide. Ashfoot quickly noticed and tried to hold him back; "Crowfeather, what are you-" But he broke away from her and staggered down the steep, rocky slope, pushing past the confused cats in the crowd. I stared at him, not quite sure what to do, or what _he_ was doing, but within three seconds, I understood.

He ran up to the prisoners, who were looking at him with disbelief, as if they'd seen a ghost. But when one cat in particular, Leafpool, saw him, she looked as if she would faint.

"Leafpool," he breathed, walking up to her and pressing his muzzle to hers as he lay his tail on her back. The medicine cat pulled away, gazing at him with huge amber eyes, her chin trembling slightly.

"Crowfeather?" she whispered, and a second later, she buried her face into his fur, oblivious, if only for a few moments, of everything around them. Everyone was watching, slightly astonished, before Dire suddenly growled, "Enough. Pull him away."

As if on cue, Ruby and Ember stepped forward, pulling Crowfeather away from the she-cat and pushing him back a few taillengths. Leafpool stayed where she was, but she stared at him, ears flattened and eyes shining with emotion.

"Onestar, we have to _go,"_ Ashfoot suddenly growled from where the three of us stood at the top of the slope. "We came to bring you back."

"Ah, but you can't leave, yet," meowed the dark brown tabby atop the Highledge. "Don't you have anything to say to your Clanmates?"

Ashfoot narrowed her eyes, keeping her gaze set with Dire's, neither of them moving or looking away. After a moment, the band leader snorted softly, lashing his tail.

"Enough. I've waited too long for this. Ruby, Ember, get rid of them. Quickly."

After he said those words, everything went by so slowly and so quickly at the same time. Before I could even move, before _anyone_ could even move, the two she-cats stepped forward, suddenly knocking Thornclaw to the ground, but not before swatting him across the face and sending tiny drops of blood falling to the stone. Frozen, and feeling as though I was trapped in time, I watched as Tawnypelt snarled, leaping towards them. Cloudtail stumbled backwards and stood over his daughter, who had been placed onto the stone. Leafpool and Crowfeather stood there, watching, eyes wide. And it wasn't until Thornclaw slowly lifted his head, his eyes locking with mine, that I finally came back to Earth and realized what was going on.

I didn't even know, at that point, what Ashfoot and Ross, who had been standing beside me, were doing. I could only see Thornclaw as Ruby pushed his head against the stone with her paw, and I found that I was suddenly running forward, skidding down the steep slope towards the middle of the throng where they were. All of a sudden, cats were everywhere, all around me, as I immersed myself into the group. I looked around; I couldn't see clearly, and panic grasped at me as I tried to get to Thornclaw. I heard yowls and hisses and snarls and the voices of Onestar, Ashfoot, and Tawnypelt, among many rogues. I thought that I faintly could hear Ross calling out to me from the top of the slope, but I don't know what he was saying.

There was such a commotion that I couldn't quite tell what was going on. But I _did_ know that rogues were hissing and yelling obscured words at me as they held me back, and a second later, I felt as I was shoved to the ground, hitting hard against the rock. I winced, opening my eyes and seeing cats all around me, hearing their shouts, and among them: Thornclaw's cries. I felt a paw at my neck, and another against my shoulder, keeping me pinned there. I felt dizzy and sick. Tawnypelt was snarling and shouting at them to stop, but I think that they'd managed to hold her back, too, along with the other prisoners. I heard Onestar shouting at a rogue- it sounded like they were fighting. I heard Leafpool's voice, too, soft but frantic- though I couldn't make out her words.

Clenching my teeth together, I writhed beneath whoever it was that was keeping me at the ground, but their firm on me was strong and I couldn't manage any sort of attack from where I was. But a second later, I heard a low growl, and I recognized Tin's voice. Someone else was talking to him, and then, the tom let out a sharp yelp, and I felt his grip on me loosen. I quickly rolled out of under him and leaped to my paws, my head pounding. I saw blood slowly trickle from Tin's right shoulder- it was a fresh wound. And when I looked over, I saw his sister standing there, lips pulled back and ears flattened, silver fur blowing in a soft breeze and eyes glistening in the darkness.

"Sapphire," I breathed, regaining my balance.

"Stay _away_ from her," she was growling, and Tin's fur fluffed out, agitated.

"Why are you defending her?" he spat, eyes narrowed. "When will you see that she's a traitor?"

"Shut up," Sapphire hissed, and I was slightly surprised by her aggression, especially towards her own brother. She said nothing more to him. Running up to me, she quickly whispered, "Are you okay?"

I nodded, a bit shaken. "Thanks," I murmured. She gave me a small, strained smile, quickly pressing her muzzle to mine before nodding, eyes glowing.

I pushed my way forward, and I think that now everyone was so occupied with the fighting that they paid me little mind. Sapphire stayed at my side, and I looked around, standing as tall as I could as I tried to see what was going on.

Two seconds later, me and Sapphire pushed between Maxwell and Vivi, who didn't even look at us- their eyes were glued to what was happening right in front of them.

Cats were holding back Leafpool and Crowfeather in the crowd, who could do nothing but watch, their pelts just barely brushing. Tawnypelt was snarling and yelling at Ember and Ruby, but Thomas and Pine, a large orange tabby tom, had pinned her to the ground. Cloudtail had remained with his daughter, but several cats stood beside him to make sure he wouldn't move. I couldn't even _see_ Onestar. He must have been deeper in the crowd, possibly fighting one or two others.

And on the ground lay Thornclaw as Ruby and Ember continued to hit him and bite him and lash their flexed claws out at him. He looked beaten and pathetic, dark streaks of blood dripping down his pelt and onto the rock beneath him. He wasn't even fighting back. He was just lying there, wincing as the two she-cats struck him again and again. He lifted his eyes to look at me, and in those eyes I could see utter pain. In fact, his eyes looked just like they had when I'd found him in that fox trap months earlier. I remember I'd fought the urge to roll my eyes, back then. Who would be stupid enough to wind up in a fox trap? Only, his eyes were now shining more intensely, and this time, I actually felt something as he looked at me almost pleadingly.

I knew that the moment I'd seen what they were doing to him, I should have ran forward and fought like hell to keep him alive. What they were doing was cruel, and what was worse, they were making everyone- including the other prisoners- watch. But I just stood there, hearing his yowls as flashbacks surged through my mind. When I'd first met him, I wouldn't have cared what would happen to him. And now, even though I knew he must have hated me for lying to him about Brackenfur's death, I couldn't stand seeing him like this.

So I took a rigid step forward, and another, and as my front paw hung suspended in the air, the _second _before I was going to flex my claws and prepare to fight for this cat and tell him _again_ that I was sorry, Ruby leaned over, and in one quick motion, she wrapped her jaws around his neck and bit.

There was a terrible cry, and _as_ this terrible cry filled the air, everyone around him fell silent. Completely silent. It lasted for a few moments, Thornclaw's voice growing quieter and quieter until it was gone. He was still looking at me the second before he closed his eyes, laying motionless and bloodied on the dark stone.

Ruby took a step back, nearly expressionless. Nobody spoke. My heart was pounding, and I actually found that it was hard to _breathe._ I just stood there, staring at his body, any signs of movement and life having disappeared.

He was dead.

I shook my head slightly, not knowing what to do. After a few seconds of shock, I suddenly felt rage and hatred boiling inside of me, and I slowly lifted my head to Dire, who stood at the top of the Highledge, amber eyes gleaming in the darkness that was beginning to fade. When our eyes met, his lips gradually formed into a smirk. And that did it.

Practically blind, I let out a loud yowl and began to run forward, diving back into the crowd. I was blatantly aware that some rogues were trying to hold me back, but I furiously lashed my claws out at anyone who came near. Leaping forward, I managed to get to the foot of the Highledge, and I raced up the steep stone, claws scraping against the rock as I struggled not to fall.

I didn't even know what I was doing, but honestly I didn't care. When I got to the top, I didn't stop for one minute. I flung myself at the cat who was facing me, and since I don't think even _he_ was expecting it, I managed to quickly knock him over to the ground. He hissed and tried to recoil, but I pinned him down, putting one paw right at his throat as I stood over him.

I lifted my head, panting, as I looked out at the crowd. Everyone was staring at me, jaws hanging open and eyes wide with pure shock. I swallowed, trying not to let my limbs shake. It was so different to stand up here, feeling like you had power over _everyone. _I spotted Ross, still standing at the top of the slope opposite me.

"Nobody move," I breathed as I looked around, my heart racing and my eyes narrowed. "And nobody touch _any_ of the Clan cats. I swear to StarClan, I'll kill him."

Dire looked up at me with these words, eyes narrowed to slits, but at the same time, he looked, somehow, amused.

"You couldn't," he whispered to me, grinning slightly. "Even if you wanted to, you wouldn't be able to bring yourself to kill me. What about Ross? What would _he_ think if you were to kill his _brother..."_

"Shut up," I snarled, leaning over to hiss in his ear, "You're going to tell them the _truth_ about Scarlet's death. You're going to tell them that it wasn't me who killed her, and that you knowingly and willingly exiled an innocent cat. If you don't, I swear, I _will_ kill you. And if you think I'm not serious, then let me tell you that this is the most serious I've ever been about anything in my _life."_

He snorted softly, and a second later, he began to chuckle. I felt a pang of fury, but at the same time, it made me worried.

"Very well," he murmured. Then, from where he still lay, pressed against the rock, he called out, "Attention, everyone! Nightfall here would like me to tell you all the truth about Scarlet's death. And since it would appear that I'm being threatened with my life, here, I suppose it's time to tell you." I stared out at the crowd, actually surprised about how smoothly this was going. He was _actually_ going to tell them that I was innocent, that it was _he_ who killed her. But then again, this was Dire we were talking about. Nothing was so simple with him.

I heard the group begin to murmur to each other in confusion, and a smile came to the leader's face.

"But perhaps I'm not the right cat to tell you all. If you would all turn to Ross, your deputy, then I'm sure he'd be _happy_ to explain." I blinked several times as heads turned curiously in the other direction, and everyone stared up at the black and white tom who stood alone. I looked at him, wondering what was going on. He caught my gaze, and gazed at me for half a second before quickly turning away.

"Well?" rasped Dire from beneath my grasp. "Time to tell everyone the truth, Ross."

The deputy looked around at all the faces that were watching him, waiting. He actually looked... scared. And weak. Taking in a deep breath, I gazed at him as he closed his eyes, quietly murmuring...

"I killed her."

Before the crowd could even _react,_ I quickly called out, "Ross, _stop._ When will you _ever_ stop protecting your brother? You _know_ the truth, just as well as I do. And I don't know what's stopping you anymore." I shook my head; "Ross, just-"

"No," he growled, looking up at me. "It's true. I... I killed Scarlet."

Everyone was silent. They all looked at him, completely shocked and stupefied. No one said anything until Dire, with a grin, smoothly said, "...And there you have it."

"No," I murmured, shaking my head. "It's a _lie_. You _can't_ believe him." Looking around wildly at the confused crowd, I quickly explained, "When I went to the Moonpool, StarClan showed me something. They put me in the body of Scarlet, letting me see what she was seeing just moments before she died. _Dire_ was the only one there, _not_ Ross. I swear over my mother's body that it was Dire who killed Scarlet. StarClan _doesn't_ lie."

"You're wrong," Ross told me evenly, tail lashing. He hesitated, his eyes now resting on his brother. "...I suppose there's something I've been keeping from you, Dire," he said. The leader blinked, looking at him silently. The deputy continued. "...The evening before Nightfall was exiled, I went to the Moonpool. And I saw StarClan." I stared at him as he spoke; what was he talking about?

"...I talked to them," he continued quietly. "To the ThunderClan cats that we'd killed. To Firestar. And... we made a deal. I told them that if they were to show Nightfall a false illusion of Dire killing Scarlet, then I would swear to protect the prisoners... I suppose I broke my promise." He shook his head, looking down. "I didn't want her to find out that I'd killed her. Even if it was _you_ that had ordered me to do it." He looked at me and Dire, blinking very slowly. "Nightfall, this is what I was talking to you about before we came here. About something I did that I couldn't tell you. But there it is. That's the truth."

I could hear silence pounding through my eyes, and without even realizing it, I loosened my grip on the rogue beneath me, freeing him. I could tell that even _he_ was shocked as he slowly got to his paws and stood beside me.

"...So it was you, then?" I asked quietly, feeling as though I'd just been run over by a truck. "You let Dire exile me, from my friends and my brother, even though it was _you_ that had killed her?" My voice was shaking, as were my legs. I couldn't see straight. So it was a lie? All of it was a lie? StarClan's vision, everything? I didn't even know what to do, or what to think. I just stood there, looking down at my paws, practically oblivious to anything else going on around me.

Beside me, I could hear as Dire let out a loud snarl.

"So I see that even my own deputy- my own _brother-_ has turned against me. And after everything I've done for you. Chose you for the mission, gave you power- and this is the thanks I get?"

"You can't do anything to me," Ross replied quietly. "You no longer have complete control over me. Nothing you do will hurt me anymore."

"Is that so?" Dire murmured, claws scraping against the stone.

There was silence for about three seconds before I suddenly felt a weight shove into me, and I let out a loud gasp as the rock beneath my paws disappeared. My eyes wide, I felt, for a moment, as time once again had slowed down, and I felt myself suspended in the air, staring up at the sky- at the hundreds of stars and thin clouds and dark blue as night slowly made its way for dawn. And I saw Dire's face as he watched me from the top of the ledge, eyes glowing, face devoid of emotion.

And then, I hit the ground with a thud. Pain shot up my spine and throughout my entire body as it absorbed the impact with the hard stone beneath me. It was the most intense pain I'd ever felt in my life, but despite this, I didn't cry out, or scream, or _anything._ I just lay there, my eyes huge and mouth wide open as my limbs screeched with agony. Had I broken any bones? Probably. I couldn't tell.

I heard voices around me, yelling and shouting as they came closer. I didn't know what any of them were saying. I was just laying on my side, my back away from everyone as I stared at the foot of the Highledge. But even then, my vision was beginning to blur. Was that blood I felt beneath me? I didn't know. I still don't.

"...Oh, God," I heard someone say as everyone began to crowd around me. I think it was Sapphire. "Nightfall? Nightfall! Are you alright? God, Nightfall... Nightfall!" I felt someone touch me, pressing a paw against certain places on my body- I think it was Leafpool, maybe. And I saw a flash of white- was that Cloudtail?

No. It was Mourn. I could see his one black paw in front of me. He leaned over, lowering his head to my level as he stared at me. I looked at him, but I didn't say anything. I couldn't, even if I'd wanted to. My head was spinning, and I couldn't even think straight. He was speaking to me, but I couldn't quite fit the words together to make a cohesive sentence. Something about Schala's last words, and taking me to the moors. I think that's what he was saying, anyway. I saw Badger, pressed up against him as she looked at me with horror. Others were there, too, rogues who I hardly knew as well as Clan cats. I heard a deep voice yelling- was it Ross?

A few moments later, the black and white tom pushed aside Mourn and Badger, and for a second, I saw his amber eyes gaze at me, and the excruciating pain I felt went away, if only for a second. I heard him saying something about him being sorry, that it was his fault that all of this even happened in the first place. But at that point, everything around me was already beginning to fade, and quickly. My vision was going, and so was my hearing. But I do remember very clearly one thing that Ross told me as he sat beside me.

"I love..."

And that was the last thing I heard him say.

Suddenly, the world around me began to change. The commotion going on around me grew fainter and fainter until I heard nothing but silence, and the sharp lines that defined Ross's features grew more and more blurred until I couldn't even recognize him anymore. White was washing over me, and I didn't realize it then, but the pain that had been pulsing through my body was disappearing.

The next thing I knew, I was lying in grass, long and golden. Confused, I shakily heaved myself to my paws and looked around, stunned. I was in a field, a beautiful field that went out as far as the eye could see. There was a thin layer of mist in the air, and the sun was only just rising, sending a gorgeous red and orange and yellow light over everything. Flowers of white and purple bloomed everywhere.

I quietly lifted my head. There, in the distance, stood a single figure, illuminating brilliantly in the new sun. She had a pelt of silvery blue as it waved beautifully in the breeze, a kind aura about her as she looked at me, smiling.

Schala?

It was only when I took a step forward that suddenly, all around me, millions of butterflies flew up from the grass. They were of every hue of the rainbow, all of them dancing and floating through the air, light as a feather, swarming around me, surrounding me in a sea of color. It... was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Reds, golds, blues, greens, whites, mingling together in this perfect harmony. I watched them for what felt like years, hypnotized by their movements as they performed something like a ritual.

I felt happy, all of a sudden, and I lifted my head to the sky, seeing them fly overheard like a flock of birds, free, casting silhouettes against the almost cloudless sky.

...I smiled.

**Stay tuned for the finale...**

**Till next time,**

**Pearls**


	37. Chapter 37: Bleeding Hearts

**I suck I know I'm sorry I haven't updated in forever especially this being the finale and all I'm sorry sorry sorry I'm sorry ahh.**

**LAST recap: Nightfall, Ashfoot, Crowfeather, and Ross came from the mountains and they've just reached the ThunderClan camp. Going inside, they see Onestar talk to Dire; the WindClan leader is demanding that he release the Clan prisoners. The crowd notices the newcomers, who are confused as to why they're here. Maxwell brings out the Clan prisoners- Whitepaw, Cloudtail, Leafpool, Tawnypelt, and Thornclaw. Crowfeather runs forward and reunites with Leafpool. Dire tells Ruby and Ember to dispose of the prisoners, and they suddenly start beating Thornclaw. This causes a commotion, and Nightfall runs forward in an attempt to stop it. She's stopped by Tin, but Sapphire frees her and they run forward together. Thornclaw is now badly beaten, and Nightfall watches, thinking about their past. Then, Ruby bites into his neck, and he quickly dies. Enraged, Nightfall runs to the top of the Highledge, knocking over Dire and pinning him to the ground. She hisses at him to tell everyone the truth about Scarlet's death. Dire agrees, and asks Ross to do the honors. Ross tells them that it was he, not Dire, who'd killed her. Nightfall says to stop protecting his brother, but Ross says that the night before she was exiled, he'd gone to the Moonpool to talk to StarClan. They made a deal- if he swore to protect the Clan prisoners with his life, they would create a false image showing Dire killing Scarlet. Dire, feeling betrayed, is furious, but Ross tells him there's nothing he can do to him anymore. In response, Dire pushes Nightfall off the highledge, and she lands with a thud, pain shooting up her body. Cats gather around and try to talk to her, but her vision is blurring. Moments later, she's standing in a golden field, her mother, Schala, in the distance. Butterflies fly up and all around her.**

**Oh goodness that was a long recap. Well, a lot happened in the last chapter I guess.**

**Guys this is so sad this'll be my last little introduction. But I'll have lots to say at the end. Well here we go I guess. Enjoy. (:**

Chapter 37

_Bleeding Hearts_

"...You." The word fell softly from Ross's lips as he stood leaning over the black she-cat lying at his paws. But at that point, he wasn't even sure that she'd heard him, and if she had, if she'd understood. Because now, she lay completely still, though her amber eyes, glowing faintly in the dimness, were still gazing at him with a blank- but not quite emotionless- expression. All around him, cats were gathering around, yelling frantically as they tried to see what had just happened- but to Ross, everything was silent. He couldn't hear anything. Only the words that she had spoken to him just moments before she'd been pushed off of the Highledge. He thought about how shocked and... _hurt_ she'd sounded when she muttered beneath her breath the question: "It was you?"

He knew that he'd hate her for it. For God's sake, he _murdered_ one of his band mates, and then sit back and let _her_ take the blame for it. He'd even directly _accused_ her of it. But that was before she'd changed him. And the moment she'd started to, he went to seek StarClan, so desperate that she'd never find out about Scarlet that he even put his _brother_ at risk, asking the spirits to fabricate some sort of image or sign or _anything_ to make him seem like the innocent cat he knew she wanted to believe he was. There were so many things he'd wanted to say to her. That he was different, then. That he'd changed. That it was because of _her_ that he was started to grow dissatisfied with Dire's rule and the power he held over him.

But, God, or StarClan, or whatever the _hell_ he believed in, he couldn't do that now. And maybe if he knew that _this_ would happen, then he wouldn't have said anything at all. What was he saying? Of course he would have. His brother _would_ have made him, one way or another. Because who was the band more likely to believe- Ross, or Dire, the leader, who made all of this possible to begin with? Or, at least that's what everyone else thought. In Ross's opinion, he'd only watched from afar as _Ross_- and Nightfall and Mourn, too- did all the work. Ross... _killed_ for him. Firestar, Brambleclaw... and now, Scarlet.

He didn't know what to do, now, because he found that when he continued to talk, the she-cat would make no response. Not even the flick of an ear or twitch of the whiskers. It wasn't until she lay completely still that he finally stopped talking. And it wasn't until the shrill voice of Sapphire screeched in his ears, "Oh, God, Nightfall... Nightfall's _dead!" _that he came back to Earth.

And then the reality of the situation finally, truly hit him.

She... was dead?

Oh, God. She was actually dead. Right in front of him, at his paws. This she-cat that had actually managed to single-handedly change his life. The one who he felt _actually_ understood him, and the one that had forgiven him for turning into the shadow of his brother, for claiming that he thought Scarlet's murder was her doing, for doing things he knew he could never undo but was still ashamed of. The one who'd sat with him at the lake that night months ago and the one who'd approached him way back when the whole band had been traveling to the Clans, even before the mission had begun.

She'd asked him if he was okay, after Tin had made some snide comment about him behind his back. Of course he'd been okay. He hadn't given a mouse's tail about what he said. But it had slightly surprised him that she'd asked him that. It's not like they'd really ever talked before. She'd... asked him why he was so quiet. He'd replied that maybe he didn't want anyone to hear what he had to say. After that, he'd turned and picked up his pace, leaving her behind, in the crowd. Though even then, his eyes had sparked with slight curiosity.

But that didn't matter now, anyway.

Nightfall.

Was.

Dead.

...

For a few moments, he just stood there, not moving an inch. A small frown on his face, he watched as Mourn ran forward, ears flattened against his skull, eyes wide and his limbs shaking. The white tom fell at his sister's side, burying his nose against her fur, shaking so violently that no one dared come near. Badger stepped forward and brushed against him, trying to comfort him, but he pulled away.

"Nightfall," Ross heard him breathe, his voice strained and cracking. "No, Nightfall, I... Please, get up... Sis... Nightfall...!'

"Mourn, stop," begged Badger, shaking her head as she looked at him desperately. "She's-"

"Shut up!" he mewed in a hoarse rasp, but not with anger. He turned back to his sister, shaking his head fiercely as he stared at her. "Nightfall, I... I promised Mom. I-I promised that I'd t-take you t-to the m-moors... B-Because she..." He broke off, not even able to continue. He just shook his head again, matching amber eyes glimmering with shock and disbelief.

Ross watched him, noting that the crowd was growing silent as they watched this tom murmur softly into the ears of his dead sister. Beside Badger, Sapphire was staring, mouth agape as she shook her head over and over. Leafpool was also standing nearby, looking at the black she-cat quietly, her expression hard to read. Beside her, Crowfeather stood, stroking his mate's back with his tail as he said nothing.

Cloudtail stood beside Tawnypelt, and his daughter was laying on his back. Even he was trembling just a bit. Ross knew that they had been something like friends back when they were a part of ThunderClan. The tortoiseshell she-cat was looking at the ground, tail flicking back and forth.

The tom spotted Ashfoot, a distance away, standing beside Onestar. The WindClan leader was panting heavily and bleeding from several places, but he said nothing as he surveyed the scene.

Other rogues stood and watched, too, some of them looking just as shocked as everyone else, despite their apparent hatred towards the late she-cat.

Then, Ross could make out a voice nearby, softly murmuring, "...Whitepaw?" Blinking, he looked over to see that Cloudtail had placed his daughter on the ground. But the apprentice was... moving? Ross narrowed his eyes- was he seeing...? No. She moved her paw. And her tail twitched. And then, very slowly, her green eyes opened, a soft frown lining her face as she blinked a few times.

A few cats looked over to see what was going on. Cloudtail watched, astounded, as his daughter slowly, legs trembling, began to heave herself to her paws. She was thin, her ribs visible, and her fur was ruffled. Scars were still visible on her flank from the battle between ThunderClan and the band. But... it seemed as if she'd finally woken up, after days and days. And not only that, but she had gotten to her paws and was now walking, tiny step by tiny step, towards Nightfall. And her father stood, frozen, as he watched.

Leafpool noticed right away and hurriedly made her way over.

"Whitepaw," she whispered. "Whitepaw, can you hear me?"

The apprentice paused, looking up at the medicine cat, eyes glimmering with confusion and pain and sorrow, but also with... life. She nodded softly, ears flattened before taking a few steps forward until she stood at the black she-cat's body, Mourn still laying with her. None of the rogues even tried to stop her. They just watched, because even _they_ were intrigued.

Whitepaw looked down at Nightfall, blinking softly. Ross could have sworn he saw her lips move, but he had no idea what she'd said. Shakily, the apprentice then sat down, not moving an inch. Cloudtail slowly, and slightly hesitantly, padded up behind her before sitting down beside her, wrapping his tail around her, closing his eyes and pressing his nose to her cheek. She looked up at him, and after a moment, she buried her face against his shoulder. Neither of them said a word.

Stumbling backwards, Ross began to shake his head, because for some reason, seeing the two white cats embrace made his vision cloudy, and he suddenly was brought back to the fact that Nightfall had just been killed. By his brother.

He whipped his head up to look at Dire, who was looking down at them, panting, amber eyes glistening just as they always did. When he caught Ross's gaze, the leader narrowed his eyes slightly, a tiny smile just barely visible on his lips. But it was there.

"...You killed her," Ross murmured, so quietly that he wasn't even sure that Dire had heard. He said it louder. "You _killed_ her." Shaking his head in disbelief, he staggered towards the foot of the Highledge, slowly taking a step forward. His brother quickly flicked his tail and began down the slope to meet him at the bottom, their faces an inch apart.

Dire's whiskers twitched as he looked at this cat, before saying matter-of-factly, "You just told me that nothing I do could hurt you anymore." One corner of his mouth raised slightly; "But, as you can see, that is _not_ the case." Leaning over, the tom whispered into Ross's ear, "I will _always_ have power over you."

"You're _pathetic_," growled the other, taking a step back, eyes narrowed to slits and lips pulled back. "You exiled an innocent cat, and then killed her by pushing her off the ledge. You didn't even _fight_ her."

"I found it ironic that you're blaming me for exiling an innocent cat," his brother replied smoothly, "since it was _you_ that had killed Scarlet, and _you_ hadn't said a _thing." _He let out a hiss; "I _protected_ you. I kept your secret. And it seemed as it you didn't have anything to complain about, seeing as you weren't willing to switch places with your little mate."

"She wasn't my mate," muttered Ross, before quickly shaking his head, letting out a low growl. "You'll never be a leader," he spat. "You're a disgraceful _coward."_

"So what are you going to do?" Dire asked, lips twitching into a smirk as he watched him, slightly amused. "_Kill_ me?"

"How dare you suggest that I'm anything like you," Ross grunted, eyes narrowed.

Dire laughed, raising an eyebrow, a grin on his face. "I think that you're forgetting the fact that _you_ have taken more lives than _I_ have," he meowed, pausing to lick a paw. "I find it amusing that you put yourself on such a high pedestal and then call _me_ a murderer."

Ross didn't respond. He swallowed, glancing over to see that some cats were still occupied with Nightfall, but many had begun to pay attention to him and his brother.

Turning back, he shook his head softly.

"Get out," he mumbled. "I don't want to see you again. Ever."

"Do you forget who you're _talking _to?" purred Dire, lashing his tail. "I'm the _leader_ of these cats. You can't tell _me_ what to do. _No one_ can."

Ross glared at him, and he wanted nothing more than to claw this cat across the face. But he didn't do anything. He didn't even say anything. Because somewhere, he knew that he was right. There wasn't a thing that he could do.

He turned away, beginning to walk through the crowd of cats, passing by Nightfall's body. But this time, he didn't turn to face it. He just kept walking, knowing that several pairs of confused eyes were following him. He held his head down, a bit, his thoughts all jumbled up in his mind. He didn't dare look back at his brother.

He reached the foot of the slope across from the Highledge, and after a small hesitation, he quickly trotted up towards the bramble entrance of the camp.

"Ross," murmured a soft voice, and the black and white tom turned around, seeing Sapphire hastily trot over to him, a frown on her face and ears flattened. He blinked softly and waited for her to meet him. She scampered up the slope and walked over to him, at first trying to avoid his gaze. But then she lifted her head, and their eyes locked. Hers were shining with emotion, and she was shaking her head slightly.

"You can't leave," she murmured.

"Why not?" he growled quietly. "There's nothing keeping me here, anymore. And now that everyone knows the truth about Scarlet, no one will even want me here."

"Nightfall wouldn't want this," she whispered, and as she said the black she-cat's name, she flinched, slightly. "She would want you to stay and fight."

"Nightfall's dead," Ross replied quietly. "And she wouldn't want me to stay here if the only way to live was under Dire's shadow."

"Ross, please," the cat murmured, looking at him pleadingly. "You can make things right."

"No, I _can't,"_ the tom hissed back. "I can't do _anything_, Sapphire. Don't you see?" He shook his head, closing his eyes briefly before opening them. He looked at her. "I'm leaving. I'm sorry."

With that, he turned away. Sapphire said nothing more.

And just as he was about to take his first step through the bramble entrance, a loud, fur-raising yowl was heard.

The two cats quickly turned, looking over the camp to see what was going on. Ross's eyes widened slightly.

There, across the clearing, at the foot of the Highledge, two cats were fighting- one of dark brown, and the other, white. The latter was yelling, voice strained and cracked as he blindly lashed out at his opponent. It was Mourn and Dire. Mourn's ears were flattened, and already his white pelt was stained with several splotches of red. He raised his paw to attack, but Dire stepped back and dodged the blow before he rammed into the white cat, knocking him to the ground.

"God, he's going to get himself killed," Ross muttered beneath his breath.

Sapphire looked at him, eyes glistening. "Then go stop it."

Ross stared at her, but after a few seconds, he gave a tiny, barely visible nod, and started to make his way back down the rocky hill, soon picking up his pace into a trot. Pushing past stunned onlookers, he narrowed his eyes in the dim light as he approached the two cats.

Mourn had gotten to his paws, and they were now facing each other. The white tom was panting, blood dripping from his pelt in several places; on the other paw, Dire stood perfectly still, watching the other with a slightly amused expression.

"Y-you killed her," Mourn breathed, struggling to even keep his balance on the ground. He shook his head softly, eyes glimmering. He looked so stunned that he couldn't have really been thinking about what he was doing. "You... You killed my sister."

"You're seriously _fighting_ me?" grunted Dire, tail flicking with slight boredom. "I'm _stronger_ than you, Mourn. You can't do _anything_ to me."

The white cat swallowed, ears pulled back as he narrowed his eyes just the slightest bit. A brief second passed before he ran forward, claws sheathed and ready to strike his leader. Dire, however, easily stepped to the side, and quickly ran at the other, lashing out a paw to slash Mourn's flank. The white tom let out a yowl before turning around and swiping at the other's muzzle. Dire hissed and recoiled, small drops of blood splattering onto the stone.

Before he had time to react, Mourn raised his paw once more, lashing it out at the other's left shoulder. Dire let out a startlingly loud growl, and Mourn stepped back, panting. They faced each other, the leader's eyes clenched shut for just a few seconds as blood dripped down his pelt.

"Worthless tom," Dire breathed, lips pulled back. "Didn't anyone ever tell you to learn your place?"

"I know my place now," growled the white cat, obviously putting forth an effort not to flinch. "And it _isn't_ here. Not under _your_ rule."

Badger ran to her mate's side, pressing against him and looking at him pleadingly.

"Mourn, please stop. I don't want you to get hurt-"

"This isn't just about me," growled Mourn, who didn't even take his eyes off of his opponent. "It's about my sister."

Dire snorted loudly before letting out a hiss. He lunged forward, and Mourn prepared for the strike. But at the last second, the leader leaped to the side, bringing his claws against the white cat's shoulder, less than in inch from his neck. Mourn flinched back, but wasn't able to avoid another strike from Dire across his forehead.

Mourn yelped, but a moment later, he ran forward, leaping to the side and running past the larger cat as he brought his claws against his flank.

Dire let out a loud, irritated growl, and in the blink of an eye, he whirled around and suddenly bit into the white tom's long tail. Mourn flinched and let out a tiny squeak, but before he could do anything, the other leaped forward, ears flattened and teeth bared, not even a second passing before he shoved the other roughly to the hard, stony ground.

Pinning him down, the brown cat growled, "I'm tired of this," his lips close to Mourn's ear. He had his paw against his throat, and the white cat managed to glance up at him, amber eyes narrowed. He swallowed, but he wasn't able to talk. Instead, Dire quietly hissed, "There is no place for the likes of you in my band."

From where Ross was standing, he was sure that he saw a flash of fear go through the white cat's eyes- though he knew that he was making an effort not to show it. Dire raised a paw, and it wasn't until the words "God, he's going to kill him" went through the deputy's head that he ran forward.

"Don't touch him," he muttered gruffly, and Dire's ears pricked. He turned to face his brother, and his eyes immediately narrowed.

"You have no business here," he said swiftly, his voice dry and emotionless. A second later, just the very beginnings of a smirk lit his face. "This cat is going to die, just like his sister." He paused; "And just like the cats that you killed that you're too scared to admit."

"I'm not scared anymore," Ross murmured. "I know I killed them. And I know that admitting this doesn't change the fact that I did. But if you lay one claw on him..."

"Then you'll what?" the other challenged, an eyebrow raised. "Didn't I already tell you, Ross? You can't do anything."

He turned away, raising his paw once more as Mourn closed his eyes. And after just a moment of hesitation, Ross found that he was darting forward, his vision hazy as a snarl escaped his throat. He leaped for his brother, and the next moment, they were both on the ground. Dire let out a loud growl, lashing out his paws at wherever he could reach. Ross felt as claws scraped across his left shoulder, and he winced, recoiling and stumbling back onto his paws. Glancing to the right, he saw that Mourn was slowly lifting himself up, shaking slightly as he regained his balance.

"Ross," he breathed. "Let me help-"

"Step back, Mourn," Ross panted, his eyes on his brother as he was getting up. "This isn't your fight anymore."

"That piece of foxdung killed my sister!" he shot back, his voice near a yell. "How can you _possibly_ say that this isn't my fight?"

Somehow, the look that Ross gave him shut him up. Mourn narrowed his eyes slightly, but he stepped back, his white fur still running red with blood.

"It's been ages since we've fought," Dire purred, shaking his pelt as he lifted his head. "Perhaps not since we were kits."

"It's been more recent than that," Ross murmured.

His brother tilted his head, grinning a little.

"Very well. I suppose it's time to see which of us is stronger."

Ross didn't reply.

Dire leaped forward, fur fluffed out, teeth glinting in the early light as he raised his paw to deal a blow.

Ross jumped out of the way, but his brother quickly turned around, lunging towards him and ramming him to the ground. The leader pressed his paws against the deputy's shoulder, raising a paw as he prepared to strike. But Ross kicked out his legs into his opponent's stomach, shoving him off and sending him stumbling backwards a few steps.

Quickly rolling over, Ross got to his paws, but before he could turn around, he felt as teeth sunk into his tail. Letting out a hiss, he turned around, swiping his claws across his brother's face, striking his nose.

Dire growled with fury, recoiling before he leaped forward. Ross quickly jumped back, and his brother landed awkwardly onto his feet, losing balance for a brief second- though it was enough time for Ross to come forward and swat at his paws, tripping him up. The leader fell to the ground, whipping his head up, but he couldn't do anything else before his brother quickly pinned him down, one paw against his shoulder and the other at his neck.

Dire let out a hoarse cough and strained his head slightly, looking up at his deputy, matching amber eyes locked.

His whiskers twitched, and a small, amused smile came across his face.

"You got me," he rasped, not one to ever let his pride vanish. "I didn't-"

He stopped talking when Ross dug his claws into the other's shoulder, causing him to hiss and narrow his eyes to slits.

"Alright," he breathed, fangs slightly visible. "_Alright._" His brother loosened his grip, slightly, but kept it firm. He hadn't said a word since they'd started fighting.

"Well?" Dire pressed, his barely audible, yet still a definite hint of mockery in it. "What now, Ross? You won our little fight. Are you going to kill me?" His eyes glinted, something of a challenge darting through them. "Try it. I dare you."

For a brief second, Ross could have sworn that he very well could have. Just minutes earlier, he couldn't feel anything but hatred towards this cat when he looked at him. But maybe "hatred" is too strong a word. He was his _brother_, after all, and Ross _knew_ that he wasn't always this way. But he also knew that it was too late to change him. The leader had turned into a different cat, one that he was obviously satisfied with.

Still, though, why did he hesitate so much? He killed Nightfall. And yes, he _had_ said that he didn't want to be like him... But that was before he tried killing Mourn, too.

Ross raised his head. All around him, cats were gathered around, several foxlengths away. None of them were speaking. They were all looking at him, wide-eyed, not daring to move an inch as they waited to see whether or not their leader was going to die in the claws of his brother- and _their_ deputy.

Within the crowd, Ross spotted Sapphire. She looked at him, and her blue eyes were sparkling brightly, a small frown on her face. For the first time, it wasn't easy for Ross to detect what she was feeling.

A few seconds later, the black and white cat looked back at his brother. A small, satisfied grin was on his face.

"I _knew_ you couldn't do it," he whispered into Ross's ear. "I've told you before- you can't do _anything_ to me." He paused, eyes glimmering smugly; "And neither could Nightfall."

And then, the moment Dire spoke her name, a surge of rage burst through Ross, pulsing through his veins and into every cell of his body. Blindly, and within the time span of two seconds, he swiftly leaned down, suddenly tasting blood as he sunk his teeth into his brother's neck. Feeling as if he were frozen in time, a loud cry escaped from the leader's throat, filling Ross's ears as he slowly grew conscious of what was going on.

Slightly hesitantly, he lifted his head, looking down quietly, watching as blood welled up from Dire's neck, the tom's eyes huge, mouth open as another, much fainter screech-like sound was made. He was staring up at the sky, but strained his gaze to look at his brother standing over him. His jaw shaking, he managed to put his lips together, seemingly trying to say something. But Ross didn't hear a thing.

Eyes rolling back up to the sky, Dire let out a few low coughs, spitting out a bit of blood before his whole body shuddered. And then, he lay still.

Ross silently took a step back, looking down at where his brother now lay on the cold, hard stone. He wasn't exactly sure what had happened. They'd been fighting, and thirty seconds later, Dire was dead.

Dire was... dead.

Ross... wasn't actually sure how he should feel. He knew that part of him should feel terrible and ashamed about the fact that he had just killed his own brother. But he knew that another part of him should feel better that this cat was dead and couldn't cause anyone- including him- any more pain. And so, in order to keep himself from feeling either of these things, he chose not to feel at all.

He lifted his head. Before him stood every cat of the band, along with the Clan cats, who were now all standing together. No one said a word. But he caught Mourn's gaze; the white cat, eyes shining, bowed his head slightly in something like thanks.

Ross turned, his eyes following the trail that lead to the top of the Highledge. Almost mechanically, he stepped forward, swallowing, his paws leading him up the stony slope where Nightfall lay just beneath.

When he reached the top, he paused to again look out at the camp, his pelt and muzzle spotted with blood. Cats lifted their heads, ears pricked as they awaited what they had to say, many still stiff with utter shock.

From behind him, sunlight was finally beginning to glow, casting a faint orange over everything as it shone through the trees. In the sky, the stars were beginning to disappear, and birds overhead flew by, calling out to each other. Ross watched them for just a moment before he looked back down and tried to find the words to say.

"...Dire's dead," he said first, the words falling quietly over the crowd. They sounded strange, even to him. "And so is Nightfall." He closed his eyes for a second before opening them again. Everyone continued to stay silent.

"Because Dire is no longer the leader, I, being the deputy, am letting the remaining ThunderClan prisoners go, along with Tawnypelt and the WindClan cats."

At first, this caused quite a bit of commotion; the Clan cats all stared at each other, looking back and forth between them and Ross, astonished expressions on all of them. The band looked stunned as well, and a few of them frantically talked amongst themselves.

Ross continued before anyone said anything else. Looking down at the WindClan leader, he said, "Onestar, I don't know what will happen to you if your band stays nearby. I suggest you take Ashfoot, Crowfeather, Tawnypelt, and the ThunderClan prisoners back to the mountains where the rest of your Clan awaits. It would be best for everyone if you didn't come back. Your safety is not my responsibility."

Onestar stared at him, looking as if he would protest- but Ashfoot stepped forward, giving a small nod.

"Very well, Ross," she said loudly, her head high. "We appreciate your release of the Clans' cats."

"Have something to eat, and then leave," he murmured. With that, he flicked his tail, beginning back down the slope. Cats were looking at him a bit curiously, and now all the Clan cats were quickly talking amongst themselves. No one from the band dared to protest, though- not even Ruby or Ember. They all talked to each other, shooting glances at their deputy as they all tried to calculate what had just happened.

Taking a few steps forward, Ross paused to look over at where Nightfall lay, still in shadows. Blinking, his eyes glimmering in the new light of the morning sun, he slowly walked over.

Standing beside her, looking at her sprawled against the ground, he wondered if she would hate him even more, now. Or maybe not. He didn't know. And he never would. Silently, he leaned down, pressing his nose to her ear. It was cold.

Pulling away, he glanced over to where Thornclaw's body still lay, several foxlengths away. Blinking again, he looked back at Nightfall, and after a moment, he stepped forward, lowering his head and picking her up onto his back, her legs and tail hanging to the sides. With a bit of effort, he staggered to where the ThunderClan tom had been killed, and when he was standing beside him, he carefully lay Nightfall down next to him, their pelts almost brushing.

He stepped back, looking at the two of them for just a moment before lowering his head, turning away.

Walking past the cats around him, he let his paws take him towards the entrance of the camp, where he had been heading before. It wasn't until he was a few feet up the slope that he heard a voice shout his name.

Tiredly turning his head, he watched as Mourn ran through the throng, Badger at his side and Sapphire close behind. They scampered up the rocks to where he stood, the white cat looking at him with wide eyes.

"Ross, where are you going?"

"I'm leaving," he said simply. "I have to."

Sapphire stepped forward. "Ross, you said-"

"I didn't fix _anything,_" he muttered. "I _can't_ stay here, even now that Dire is..." He broke off, whiskers twitching.

"We need you here," Mourn protested. "You have a band to lead-"

"How could I ever lead this band?" he growled. "Not only did I kill Scarlet, but I killed my own _brother._ I _can't_ stay here. And nothing you say can make me change my mind." He glanced at the three of them before resting his gaze on the white tom in the middle. "Take good care of the band, Mourn," he murmured. "You have the potential to be a better leader than I'll ever hope to be."

No one said anything more. Mourn was just staring at him, eyes wide, unable to speak. Badger pressed against him, looking at her paws. Sapphire looked at him, a frown on her face, but very slightly, she nodded. Dipping his head slightly, Ross turned, finally stepping through the bramble barrier and into the forest, the morning light guiding his steps.

He walked through the trees, the sounds of camp getting further and further away, the scent of the woods slowly wrapping itself around him. Beneath him, there was the crisp sound of dried leaves being stepped on. A breeze went by, and Ross winced, but he didn't shiver.

He didn't know where he was going. But he couldn't go back, now. Maybe he'd _never_ be able to. He didn't know that, either. But he _did_ know that he wouldn't be able to for a long time. How could he ever look at those cats, knowing what he'd done? He couldn't. He knew he couldn't.

So he walked, until all signs and scents of the band were like distant memories, or fragments of old dreams.

He was alone, now. And he kept telling himself that it was for the best, and tried not to think about the fact that he might never see any of the cats he'd grown up with ever again. No, he tried not to think about that. What did it matter, anyway? He didn't care about any of them, except for Mourn and Sapphire, maybe. He knew Nightfall had.

Pausing, he clenched his eyes shut, for a moment, the wind ruffling his fur, crows cawing in the distance. And when he opened them, he could have sworn that at the corner of his eye, he saw the shape of a small, black cat. And when he turned around, he _knew_, that just for a second, he could see two amber eyes, gazing at him, before they disappeared.

He found that he was... smiling. It was a small, soft smile, but it was a smile. Because for just a few moments, he felt almost... happy. He decided that he would let this feeling last as long as he could before reality came rushing back to him.

And so, he took another step forward, the sunlight in his bright eyes as he continued on, birds calling out to each other and the shadow of the black she-cat following very close behind.

End

**And that's the end of Bleeding Hearts. (I've quite a lot to say.) Well, what did you think of the ending? Was it what you expected, or not? Loved it? Hated it?**

**I actually changed the ending so many times it's not even funny. For more than HALF the time I was writing this story I had a completely different ending all figured out in my head. Believe it or not, that one was even more depressing than this one. **

**Here are a few facts about the story (:**

**Pages: (12 pt, single-spaced, helvetica) 297 (Wait that's so frustratingly close to 300.)**

**Words: (Not including author's notes of course!) 125,458.**

**Hits: (Thanks to YOU lovely people) 8,210.**

**Random Fact: I wrote this chapter listening to a lot of different soundtracks from Lost (which is my one true love ps) It really helped lolol.**

**Another Random Fact: I put off a ton of homework tonight finishing this up oops I'd better get on that.**

**It's soso weird that this story is over, especially since I'd given up on it for 6 months and just suddenly got this urge to finish it. To everyone reading out there, I really am sorry for my slowness. It's sort of a problem, you don't even need to lie. I'll work on that. I promise. Maybe.**

**And thank you soso much to all of my reviewers (: I couldn't have done it without y'all. Seriously. Your reviews have made my life.**

**It might just be me, but I can definitely tell how I've changed and improved (hopefully improved) since I started this over two years ago WOW two years I really suck oops. Anyway, it means so much that you guys have been reading for so long (: Reviewers, I love you so much. People who've read this but have been too lazy to review AKA people like me, I love you too.**

**Well, I guess I'm probably taking up your time, so with that, I bring this lil' story to a close. (: Don't worry, though- I'm not gone! I'll still be here, working on my other story. And as for a sequel (or prequel) to THIS story- I'm not exactly sure if that'll happen yet, but I don't think it's too unlikely (: (;**

**So I'll leave you all with a question, because I'm honestly just curious about what you all think: Who was REALLY better for Nightfall: Thornclaw, or Ross? (;**

**Till next time, lovies (:**

**Pearly (:**


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